ISiHi^^ 


Vital   issues  m 
/hristian  Science 

With  Facsimile  Letters 

of 

Mary  Baker  Eddy 


wYork  City  Christian  Science  Institute 
Au0usta  E ,  Stetson ,  C.S.D.,  Principa , 


LIBRARY    OF    THE    THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,     N.     J. 
PRESENTED  BY 

Division 


Section 

C- 


Vital   Issues   In   Christian 

X$S^  OF  nil 
cience  /v 

M/Cf    9    li 

A    Record  ^^^^gicals; 

of  Unsettled  Questions  which  arose  in  the  Year  1909, 

between  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist 

Boston,  Massachusetts 

and 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City 

Eight  of  its  Nine  Trustees  and  Sixteen 

of  its  Practitioners 


New  York  City  Christian  Science  Institute 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  Principal 


With  Facsimiles  of  Excerpts  and  Letters  of 
Mary  Baker  Eddy 


Third  Thousand 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and  London 

Cbe    Ikntcherbocfter    press 

1914 


Copyright,  1914 

BY 

AUGUSTA   E.    STETSON 


TTbe  tkniclierbocfier  preee,  t\cw  l^orft 


Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained 
you,  that  ye  should  go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should 
remain  :  that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my  name.  He 
may  give  it  you. 

These  things  I  command  you,  that  ye  love  one  another. 

If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you. 

Christ  Jesus,    John  xr.,  16-18, 


He  takes  away  mitre  and  sceptre.  He  enthrones  pure  and  undefiled 
religion,  and  lifts  on  high  only  those  who  have  washed  their  robes  white 
in  obedience  and  suffering. 

Mary  Baker  Eddy,    Scieace  and  Health,  pages  571,  572, 


Note;  The  references  to  the  Manual  of  The  Mother 
Church  are  taken  from  the  83rd  Edition  (1909),  unless 
otherwise  specified. 

The  New  York  City  Christian  Science  Institute  was 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York 
in  the  year  1891,  and  its  activities  have  since  continued 
without  interruption. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


CHAPTER 

I.    Preliminary  Statement      .         .         .         i 

II.    The    Mother    Church    Manual   and 

Branch  Church  Government  .         .        7 

III.  Mrs.  Stetson  before  the  Directors 

OF  The  Mother  Church  ...       25 

IV.  Beginnings  of  the  Controversy         .      30 

V.    Decision  of  Trustees  after  Boston 

Conference 47 

VI.    Findings  and  Orders  of  September  25, 

1909        ......      50 

VII.    Nature  and  Scope  of  the  Inquiry  by 

THE  New  York  Trustees  .         .       56 

VIII.    Why  the  Committee  of  Inquiry  was 

Formed 69 

IX.    Report  of  THE  Committee  OF  Inquiry  .      76 

X.  Mrs.  Stetson's  Resignation  from  the 
New  York  Board  of  Trustees  and 
from  the  Branch  Church        .         -95 

XI.    Secret  of  a  Great  Church  Work        .     104 

XII.    Practice  OF  Healing  in  First  Church  .     113 

XIII.    Editorial  Criticism  of  First  Church 

OF  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City     120 


vi  Contents 


PAGE 


CHAPTER 

XIV.     Material     Concept     of     Composite 

Letter    ......     i34 

XV.    The   Composite  Letter — How  Origi- 
nated AND  What  It  Was  .         .         •     i47 

XVI.    The    Physical    versus    the    Spiritual 

Personality i57 

XVII.     Treatment  of  Sixteen  Practitioners 

BY  The  Mother  Church  Directors     i66 

XVIII.    Position  of  the  Sixteen  Practition- 
ers ......     184 

XIX.    The  Mother  Church  Admonitions  of 

Sixteen  Practitioners    .         .         .     210 

XX.    Admonitions  by  First  Reader  of  New 

York  Church  ....     230 

XXI.     Practitioners  before  the  New  Trus- 
tees          235 

XXII.    The  Sixteen  Practitioners  Make  a 

Public  Statement   ....     245 

XXIII.  Two-Count    Complaint    to    the    Di- 

rectors OF   The    Mother    Church 
Analyzed         .....     248 

XXIV.  Do    Not    Orders    of    April    Fourth 

Violate  Law  and  Justice?        .         .     253 

XXV.    Practitioners'  Answers  to  the  Two- 
Count  Complaint    ....     259 

XXVI.  So-called  ' '  Admonitions  ' '  by  the  First 
Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  to 
THE  New  York  Trustees  Compris- 
ing the  Committee  of  Inquiry  .     280 


Contents 


vu 


XXVII.     Analysis  of  the  Seven  Findings 


XXVIII. 

XXIX. 
XXX. 


Self-Defense  in  Christian  Science  as 
Taught  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy  . 

Summary     ...... 


303 

348 
356 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  in  Divine 
Law  and  Order        ....     360 


Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


CHAPTER  I 
PRELIMINARY  STATEMENT 

This  Record  is  prepared  by  the  New  York  City 
Christian  Science  Institute  for  the  information  of 
Christian  Scientists  in  particular,  and  for  all  others 
throughout  the  Christian  world  who  may  Purpose  of 
be  interested.  It  is  intended  to  be  a  plain  tws  Record 
statement  of  facts  regarding  the  issues  between  the 
Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  The  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  eight  of 
its  nine  Trustees,  including  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
C.S.D.,  and  sixteen  of  its  practitioners. 

During  the  months  of  October  and  November,  1909, 
the  Committee  of  Inquiry  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  New  York  church  in  office  prior  to^^^^^j^^^^^^^^ 
January  18,  19 10,  thoroughly  investigated  vindicates 
alleged  conditions  and  practices  said  to  exist 
in  First  Church,  New  York,  including  the  teachings  and 
practices  of  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  Principal  of 
the  New  York  City  Christian  Science  Institute.  This 
Committee's  comprehensive  report  thereon,  entirely 
vindicating  Mrs.  Stetson,  was  made  to  the  church  at  a 

X 


2         Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

specially  called  meeting  on  November  4,  1909,  and  at 
that  meeting  said  Report  was  accepted  and  approved 
by  the  church. 

Notwithstanding  this  act  of  approval  by  the  church, 

which  Mrs.   Stetson  had  built  up  through 

drop  twenty-five   years   of   consecrated    spiritual 

Mrs.  stetson  ^grk,  the  Dircctors  at  Boston  within  two 

from  The  ' 

Mother         wccks  thereafter,  viz.,  on  November  18,  1909, 
""^  "      dropped  Mrs.  Stetson's  name  from  the  roll 
of  membership  of  The  Mother  Church. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  City,  held  January  18,  1910,  the 
retiring  Trustees  were  by  express  vote  of 
New  York  qj^  opposing  majority  prevented  from  reading 
vented  from  their  rcports,  except  that  of  the  Treasurer, 
revolts  ^^  from  making  any  statements  as  they  were 

prepared,  accustomed  to  and  desired  to  do. 
Thus  all  opportunity  was  finally  cut  off  for  bringing, 
in  the  usual  way,  before  the  membership  and  attendants 
of  this  church  any  statement  of  the  facts  in  regard  to 
the  issues  involved.  For  that  reason  this  Institute 
deems  it  to  be  its  duty  to  its  members,  to  those  who 
have  confidently  relied  upon  the  wisdom  and  integrity 
of  the  Principal  and  the  eight  Trustees  of  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  as  well  as  to  those 
who  have  differed  with  them,  to  add  to  what  has  al- 
ready been  published,  a  candid,  fair,  and  just  accotmt 
of  the  acts  and  relations  in  this  controversy. 

This  Record  is  not  made  solely  for  the  justification 
of  the  position  taken  in  defense  of  the  rights  and  con- 
stitutional guarantees  of  this  branch  church. 

Duty  to  make  .,..,, 

public  There   are   deeper   considerations   involved, 

statement  Among  thcse  is  the  vindication  of  the  faith- 
ful practitioners  whose  names  have  since  been  dropped 


Preliminary  Statement  3 

from  the  membership  roll  of  First  Church,  New 
York  City,  and  from  The  Mother  Church,  The  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
because  they  upheld  the  teaching  and  practices  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  as  being  in  accor- 
dance with  the  writings  and  teachings  of  Mary  Baker 
Eddy,  the  revered  Founder  and  Leader  of  Christian 
Science. 

Primarily  this  Record  is  made  in  defense  of  that 
purity  of  spiritual  teaching  without  which  the  Christian 
Science   movement   itself,    sooner   or   later, 
would  suffer  the  seeming  arrest  which  comes    practitioners 
with  the  materializing  tendencies  in  every      ^""^  p""*^ 

.  .  .0^  teaching 

distinctly  spiritual  awakening  in  religious 
life.  Adherents  to  the  scientific  conception  of  Christian 
Truth,  as  represented  in  branch  churches  throughout 
the  world,  should  be  made  aware  of  the  peril  which 
we  are  persuaded  has  come  to  the  Cause  through  the 
overriding  of  spiritual  freedom  by  ecclesiastical  self- 
assertion  tending  to  stamp  out  a  conviction  of  Truth 
as  enduring  as  the  consciousness  of  man's  oneness 
with  God. 

Christian  Scientists  both  here  and  elsewhere  have 
had  little  or  no  opportunity  to  learn  through  genuine 
Christian  Science  channels  anything  compre- 
hensive about  the  facts  in  these  matters,  as    xhf Mother 
they  came  to  our  knowledge.     It  is  but  just,  church 

therefore,  to  all  concerned,  that  it  should  been  misled? 
be  declared  openly  that,  in  our  judgment, 
grievous  mistakes  have  been  made,  not  only  in  the 
procedure  followed  by  The  Mother  Church  authori- 
ties, but  also  in  the  conclusions  reached  regarding  the 
teaching  and  practices  prevailing  in  First  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 


4         Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Christian   Scientists   throughout   the   world   should 

know  whether  or  not  the  Board  of  Directors  was  led 

into  a  mistaken  course  of  official  conduct, 

Was  there  a    jj^  j^g  relations  with   the   New  York   City 

mistaken  11 

course  of        branch  church,  through  reports  accepted  and 
c^duct?        acted  upon    by   it   in   violation    of   Section 
13  of  Article   XI.  of  The   Mother   Church 
Manual.     The  section  reads  as  follows: 

Members  of  Branch  Churches.  Sect.  13.  A  member 
of  both  The  Mother  Church  and  a  branch  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  or  a  Reader,  shall  not  report  nor  send  notices  to 
The  Mother  Church,  or  to  the  Pastor  Emeritus,  of  errors 
of  the  members  of  their  local  church;  but  they  shall  strive 
to  overcome  these  errors.  Each  church  shall  separately 
and  independently  discipline  its  own  members, — if  this 
sad  necessity  occurs. 

This  Record  is  furthermore  undertaken  in  order  that 

all  may  have  the  opportunity  of  learning  whether  or 

not    the    teachings    and    practices    of    Mrs. 

Were  Mrs.     Augusta  E.  Stctson,  C.S.D.,  and  the  sixteen 

Stetson  and  .    .  .  _,  i        -nt  at      i 

practitioners    practitioucrs   lu   First    Church,   JNew    York 
wSi*?  City,  were  in  accordance  with  the  teachings 

and  writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy.  They 
should  know  to  what  extent  the  personal  animosities 
engendered  by  the  spiritual  demands  for  higher  meta- 
physical attainments  resulted  in  those  antipathies 
which  have  kept  alive  unsettled  questions  that  long 
since  would  have  ceased  to  interest,  were  it  not  for 
the  fact  that  the  issues  involved  are  not  a  question 
of  temporal  belief,  but  of  eternal  Truth. 

We  therefore  submit: 


Preliminary  Statement  5 

1.  Did  not  The  Mother  Church  Directors  condemn 
teacher  and  practitioners  for  adhering  to  their  scientific 
understanding    of    divine    metaphysics,    as 

taught  in  the  Christian    Science    textbook,  Mother 

Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  Church 

and  in  the  other  writings  of  Mary  Baker  penalize 

Eddy?     This   imderstanding   had   for  years  i«»di'iduai 

•'  .  conviction? 

enabled  them,  and  is  still  enabling  them,  to 

do  the  works  of  healing  the  sick  and  reforming  the 

sinner. 

2.  We  are  impelled  to  protest  against  the  action 
taken  by  the  Board  of  Directors  as  being  in  our  judg- 
ment subversive  of   the  fundamental   right         „.  ^,  ^ 

.  Right  of 

of  individual  spiritual  interpretation  of  spiritual  in- 
the  writings  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary  *"^i"^oVved 
Baker  Eddy;  and  we  furthermore  protest 
against  any  effort  to  compel  any  one  to  subscribe  to 
any  other  than  the  spiritual  interpretation  of  her 
writings. 

3.  We  affirm  the  position  that  loyalty  to  the  teach- 
ings  of  our   beloved    Leader,  Mary   Baker 

Eddy,  and  fidelity  to  our  own  spiritual  Lerdel*and 
understanding  of  divine  metaphysics  as  set  fidelity  to 
forth  in  the  Holy  Bible  and  in  her  writ-  are  first 
ings,  must  take  precedence  as  a  source  of 
authority  over  any  scholastic  conception  and  materi- 
alistic   interpretation. 

4.  We  affirm  that  unless  official  conduct  be  based 
upon  justice  and  governed  by  Love,  it  will  be  impossible 
to  maintain  spiritual  cooperation  and  unity. 

rr^i  -1  /^      -I      •  •       •        1  OflScial  con- 

ine  right,  as  God  gives  us  to  see  it,  is  always      duct  must 
dearer  than  any  possible  human  cost  of  de-    ^J^  governed 

■J     ^  by  Love 

fending  it;  and  a  proper  regard  for  what  is 

right  and  just  is  the  sole  ground  upon  which  any  church 


6  Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

authority  can  justify  its  claim  to  the  peaceful  pursuit 
of  official  functions. 

5.  In  our  judgment,  Tenets  and  By-Laws  of  The 
Mother  Church,  as  set  forth  in  its  Manual,  have  been 
Did  Th  ^^*   ^^  naught   in   this  controversy  by   the 

Mother  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  whose 
Directors  set  privilcgc  and  duty  it  was  to  manifest  the 
at  naught       high   Standard  of   Christian   Science  as  set 

the  Manual? 

forth  by  our  revered  Leader,  Mary  Baker 
Eddy. 

We,  therefore,  in  the  succeeding  chapters,  set  in 
order  this  Record,  following  the  footsteps  of  our  re- 
vered Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  who  says: 

The  law  of  the  divine  Mind  must  end  human  bondage, 
or  mortals  will  continue  unaware  of  man's  inalienable 
rights  and  in  subjection  to  hopeless  slavery,  because  some 
public  teachers  permit  an  ignorance  of  divine  power, — an 
ignorance  that  is  the  foundation  of  continued  bondage  and 
of  htunan  suffering     {Science  and  Health,  p.  227). 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  MOTHER  CHURCH  MANUAL  AND  BRANCH 
CHURCH  GOVERNMENT 

When  any  controversy  arises  between  civilized  men, 
those  concerned  instinctively  recognize  and  admit  that 
all  affairs  are  governed  by  law.     So  in  this 

°  .  The  Mother 

controversy,  which  seems  to  mvolve  a  conflict  church  Man- 
of  authority  between  The  Mother  Church  d.^fj^/"^';; 
and  one  of  its  branches,  all  interested  have 
turned  to  the  fundamental  church  law  of  the  Chris- 
tian Science  denomination,  the  Manual  of  The  Mother 
Church,  to  find  rules  to  decide  the  questions  at  issue. 

It  is  clear  that  in  genuine  Christian  Science  there  can 
be  no  conflict  between  The  Mother  Church  and  one  of 
its  branches,  and  to  understand  the  Rules  of 
the  Manual  aright,   one  must  find  a  basis    'L''^^  ^°*'^^! 

°       '  Church  and 

of  interpretation  for  these  Rules  that  shall   branches  are 

•  /•..I  •,  11  1*1  coordinate 

manifest    the    unity   and    harmony    which  p^jg 

should  exist  between  The  Mother  Church 
and  its  branches,  for  in  Truth  they  are  one.  The 
Mother  Church,  as  the  type  of  the  Universal 
Spiritual  Church,  does  not  exist  for  itself,  but  as  the 
Parent  Vine  it  exists  that  it  may  have  branches,  that 
the  branches  in  turn  may  bring  forth  fruit.  And  while 
it  is  true  that  the  Parent  Vine  bears  fruit,  through  its 
branches,  yet  the  branches  bear  no  fruit  of  themselves, 
but  by  the  life  derived  from  the  Parent  Vine.     In  this, 

7 


8         Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

one  may  discern  the  spiritual  import  of  the  advice  of 
our  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  contained  in  her  letter 
of  November  13,  1909:, 

Abide  in  Truth,  in  fellowship  with  and  obedience  to  The 
Mother  Church,  and  in  this  way  God  will  bless  and  prosper 
you.  This  I  know,  for  He  has  proved  it  to  me  for  forty 
years  in  succession  {Christian  Science  Sentinel,  vol.  xii., 
p.  270). 

Evidently  the  Leader  had  a  deeper  perception  of 

The    Mother    Church    than    merely    an    ecclesiastical 

organization;  for  the  present  Church  organi- 

All  must  .         ,         ,  .  .  1  1 

"  Abide  in  zation  has  been  m  existence,  as  such,  only 
'^'"*'^"  since  1892,  at  which  date  the  Church  (which 

was  originally  chartered  in  1879)  was  reorganized. 
(See  Manual,  p.  18.)  To  be  "in  fellowship  with 
and  obedience  to  The  Mother  Church"  it  is  necessary 
to  "Abide  in  Truth"  for,  in  the  words  of  our  Leader: 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston, 

Mass.,  is  designed  to  be  built  on  the  Rock,  Christ;  even 
the  understanding  and  demonstration  of  divine  Truth, 
Life,  and  Love,  healing  and  saving  the  world  from  sin  and 
death;  thus  to  reflect  in  some  degree  the  Church  Universal 
and  Triumphant  (Manual,  p.  19). 

It  may  be  stated,  therefore,  as  a  fundamental  propo- 
sition, that   the   law   governing   The  Mother  Church 
in   Truth   is   the  divine  law,    and  the  only 
Law  of  church  ]q„{^{-^^iq  interpretation  of  the  laws  or  Rules 

government  °  -^ 

must  be  of  The  Mothcr  Church,  as  expressed  in  the 
intTrpi"ed  Manual,  is  the  spiritual,  which  recognizes 
these  Rules  as  based  on  divine  law.  "  Law 
constitutes  government,  and  disobedience  to  the  laws 
of  The  Mother  Church  must  ultimate  in  annulHng 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government    9 

its  Tenets  and  By-Laws"  (Manual,  Art.  I.,  Sect.  9). 
This  law  may  be  considered  as  finding  its  expression 
in  two  ways: 

1.  The  fundamental  or  common  law,  which  is  the 
divine  law,  as  found  in  the  Bible,  and  stated  in  the 
precepts  of  Christian  Science  as  in  Science  Law  revealed 
and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  and  ^^^^1^^;°^ 
in  the  other  writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy.         writings 

2.  The  statutory  law,  comprising  rules  applicable  to 
particular  occasions  only,  and  found  in  the  Law  applied 
Rules  and  By-Laws  of  The  Mother  Church    under  Rules 

•t.  r  ■,  of  Manual 

Manual. 

The  question  arises,  to  what  extent,  if  any,  do  the 
By-Laws  limit  or  broaden  the  fundamental 
rights  and  duties  inherent  in  individual  per-        duties  of 
sons  or  in  individual  churches?  Our  Leader  branches  and 

members 

has  stated  (quoting  extract  from   letter   in 
Miscellaneous  Writings)  that  these  Rules  and  By-Laws 

were  not  arbitrary  opinions  nor  dictatorial  demands,  .  .  . 
They  sprang  from  necessity,  the  logic  of  events, — from  the 
immediate  demand  for  them  as  a  help  that  must  be  supplied 
to  maintain  the  dignity  and  defense  of  our  Cause;  hence 
their  simple,  scientific  basis,  and  detail  so  requisite  to 
demonstrate  genuine  Christian  Science,  and  which  will  do 
for  the  race  what  absolute  doctrines  destined  for  future 
generations  might  not  accomplish  {Manual  of  The  Mother 
Church,  1910,  p.  3). 

It  is  clear  from  this  statement  that  the  By-Laws  in 
no  sense  limit  or  repress  the  individual  in  his  search 
for  the  divine  law,  but   rather  are  destined    „  , 

By-Laws  ara 

"  as  a  help"  to  the  individual  in  his  effort  aids  to  seek 
to  demonstrate  divine  law.  Thus,  as  any  divide  law 
particular  problem  of   government  presents  itself,   if 


10        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

one  is  not  clear  as  to  the  meaning  or  application  of  the 
absolute  rule  of  Christian  Science,  as  stated  in  Science 
and  Health,  he  may  find  a  By-Law  indicating  the  specific 
application  of  the  general  rule. 

The  following  questions  present  themselves : 
How  far  are         I .     To  what  extent  are  the  individual  mem- 
™r a nc*h e s  s ^if -  ^^^^  ^f  ^^^^  MothcT  ChuTcli  also  the  individual 
governing?     bvanch  chuTches  self-governing? 

Our  Leader  has  stated  in  Science  and  Health,  page  io6: 

God  has  endowed  man  with  inalienable  rights,  among 
which  are  self-government,  reason,  and  conscience. 

And  again,  in  The  Christian  Science  Journal,  June, 
1904  (p.  184) : 

The  Magna  Charta  of  Christian  Science  means  much, 
mtdtum  in  parvo, — all-in-one  and  one-in-all.  It  stands  for 
the  inalienable,  universal  rights  of  men.  Essentially  demo- 
cratic, its  government  is  administered  by  the  common  con- 
sent of  the  governed,  wherein  and  whereby  man  governed 
by  his  Creator  is  self-governed. 

And  again,  in  Science  and  Health'. 

Reflecting     God's     government,     man     is     self-governed 

(p-  125)- 

The  heavenly  law  is  broken  by  trespassing  upon  man's 
individual  right  of  self-government  (p.  447). 

Thus,  as  relating  to  individual  man,  it  is  fundamen- 
tally established  that  it  is  the  function  of  law  to  enable 
man  to  realize  self-government  according  to  reason  and 
conscience. 

In  relation  to  the  church  affairs,  the  individual  finds 
expression  of  the  law  of  self-government  in  his  associa- 
tion with  other  individuals  in  the  government  of  the 
particular  church  to  which  he  belongs.     Our  Leader  has 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  ii 

expressed  this  truth  in  explicit  terms  in  the  By-Laws 
relating  to  the  government  of  The  Mother  Church  and 
the  branch  churches: 
Article    XXIII.     Mother    Church    Unique. "  ^he  Mother 

.  .  ,  _,      .      ,  Church 

Sect.  3.    In    its    relation     to    other   Christian  stands  alone " 
Science  churches,  in  its  By-Laws  and  self-gov-       '°  '*^  ^°^" 

ernment 

ernment,  The  Mother  Church  stands  alone.  .  .  . 

Article  XXIII.  Local  Self-government.  Section  i. 
The     Mother     Church     of     Christ,     Scientist, 

Branch 

shall  assume  no  general  official  control  of  other        churches 
churches,  and  it   shall  be  controlled  by  none  govern 

themselves 

other. 

Each  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  shall  have  its  own 
form  of  government.  .  .   . 

Article  XXIII.  Manual.  Sect.  5.  Branch  churches 
shall  not  adopt,  print,  nor  publish  the  Manual  of  The 
Mother  Church.      See  Article  XXXV,  Sect,  i . 

Article  XXXV.  For  The  Mother  Church  Only.  Section 
I.  The  Church  Manual  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  written  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy 
and  copyrighted,  is  adapted  to  The  IMother  Church 
only.  .   .  . 

From  the  foregoing  By-Laws,  it  is  clear  that  The 
Mother  Church  is  unique  and  stands  alone,  both  in  its 
form  of  government  and  in  its  relation  to  the 

^  .      .  .        Self-govern- 

branch  churches.  From  this  it  follows  logi-  ment  the  goal 
cally  and  harmoniously  that  each  branch  asslTcTa^ion 
church  must  work  out  its  own  problem  of 
government,  both  as  a  right  and  as  a  duty  under  the 
Manual.  And  further,  this  must  be  not  only  in  form 
but  in  substance,  as  appears  from  the  following  extracts 
from  the  By-Laws: 

Article  XXIII.  Local  Self-government.  Section  i. 
(See  reference  above.) 


12        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Article  XXIII.     Organizing  Churches.    Sect.  6.  .  .  . 
The  branch  churches  shall  be  individual,   .  .  . 

Article  XXIII.  No  Interference.  Sect.  io.  A  mem- 
ber of  The  Mother  Church  .  .  .  shall  not  be  a  member  of 

both  a  branch  church  and  a  society ;  neither  shall 
of^'b'ra^nch  *™  ^^  cxercisc  supcrvision  or  control  over  any  other 
churches  church.  In  Christian  Science  each  branch  church 
Manual**       shall  bc  distinctly  democratic  in  its  government, 

and  no  individual,  and  no  other  church  shall 
interfere  with  its  affairs. 

Article  XI.  Members  of  Branch  Churches.  Sect.  13. 
A  member  of  both  The  Mother  Church  and  a  branch  Church 

of  Christ,  Scientist,  or  a  Reader,  shall  not  report 
church  disci-  ^°^  ^^^^  notices  to  The  Mother  Church,  or  to 
piine  and  the  Pastor  Emcritus,  of  errors  of  the  members 
d'fvelopment    ^f  their  local  church;   but  they  shall  strive  to 

overcome  these  errors.  Each  church  shall  separ- 
ately and  independently  discipline  its  own  members, — if 
this  sad  necessity  occurs. 

We  find,  then,  a  fundamental  rule  of  Christian  Science, 
declared  both  by  our  textbook  and  by  the  Manual,  that 
the  individual  reflecting  God,  must  work  out  his  own  sal- 
vation, and  solve  the  problems  of  self -control,  self-govern- 
ment, and  discipline,  in  so  far  as  they  affect  the  individual 
only,  according  to  his  own  understanding  of  divine  law. 

2.  To  what  extent,  if  any,  do  the  duties  arising  under 
the  dual  membership  in  The  Mother  Church  and  in  this 
branch  church  conflict? 

In  Truth  there  is  no  conflict  of  duties,  because  there 
is  no  conflict  in  the  relationship.  The  two  member- 
ships are,  in  fact,  one,  just  as  the  branch 
beTshMn."  is  one  with  the  vine.  The  branch,  in  its 
voivesno  function  of  fruit-bearing,  finds  no  conflict 
with  the  vine  from  which  it  draws  its  life 
energy. 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  13 

As  The  Mother  Church  is  unique,  so  also  is  one's 
membership  in  The  Mother  Church  unique.  Member- 
ship in  The  Mother  Church  is  typical  and  symboli- 
cal of  the  membership  in  the  "Church  Universal  and 
Triumphant"  (Manual,  p.  19).  Membership  in  the 
branch  church  represents  one's  individual  place  in  the 
church  organic.  This  distinction  is  carefully  preserved 
by  our  Leader  in  the  scheme  of  government  established 
by  her  for  the  churches. 

An  individual  member  of  The  Mother  Church,  as 
such,  finds  no  expression  for  the  detailed  ^he  Mother 
activities  and  duties  which  the  practice  and  church  mem- 
application  of  Christian  Science  makes  neces-  ^'^  'fruiTin 
sary :  but  these  all  find  expression  in  his  work  branch  church 

111  activities 

as  a  member  of  the  branch  church. 

As  a  member  of  The  Mother  Church,  the  individual 
is  not  required  to  be  present  at  the  Annual  Meeting. 
Only  the  officers  need  to  be  present  (Article  XIIL, 
Section  i);  he  has  no  vote  or  voice  in  the  election 
of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  other  church  officers, 
or  of  the  Readers  (Article  I.,  Sections  i,  2,  3,  4). 
The  church  business  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  (Article  I.,  Sect.  6),  which  is  a 
perpetual  and  self-perpetuating  body.  (See  Deed  of 
Trust,  paragraph  I.,  and  also  By-Laws,  Article  I., 
Section  5.) 

While  it  would  seem  at  first  glance  that  as  a  member 
of  The  Mother  Church  the  individual  forfeits  all 
the  duties  and  rights  of  democratic  self-govern- 
ment, this  however  is  not  the  fact,  and  furthermore 
all  these  duties  and  rights  are  accorded  to  him  as  a 
member  of  the  branch  church,  and  as  such,  the 
individual  votes  and  participates  in  all  the  forms  of 
church  activities  and  in  such  branch  membership  the 


14        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

actual  work  of  the  Christian  Scientist  is  brought  to 
fruition. 

3.  What  jurisdiction  has  the  Christian  Science 
Board  of  Directors  over  members  of  The  Mother  Church 
who  are  also  members  of  a  branch  church  ? 

To  answer  this  question,  we  must  examine  the  source 

and  extent  of  the  authority  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  fundamental  rule  in 

Individual's    Christian  Science  is  that  each  individual  is 

right  to 

demonstrate  responsible  for  his  own  demonstration  in  self- 
ment^"'^*^""  government,  and  it  follows  that  no  person 
or  body  of  persons  has  control  or  authority 
over  another  unless  the  same  is  specifically  conferred 
by  some  statute  or  law  prescribed  by  a  recognized 
authority.  Christian  Scientists  recognize  such  author- 
ity as  vested  in  our  Leader  in  her  right  to  make  or 
approve  By-Laws  binding  upon  the  church  body.  This 
unusual  power  has  been  vested  in  our  Leader,  not 
through  any  arbitrary  or  dictatorial  assumption  of 
authority  by  her  in  derogation  of  the  natural  rights  of 
the  members  of  the  church,  but  rather  with  the  loving  con- 
sent of  the  members  in  voluntary  recognition  of  the  spir- 
itual perception  of  divine  law  possessed  by  Mrs.  Eddy. 

4.  The  Board  of  Directors  has  no  general  or  implied 
power,  authority,  or  jurisdiction. 

The  Board  of  Directors  was  created  by  our  Leader 
in  the  "  Deed  of  Trust,"  and  in  the  By-Laws  the  Rules 
prescribing  and  limiting  the  powers  of  the 
equluy  sub-^  Board  are  specifically  set  forth.  To  the 
ject  to  By-  By-Laws  alone,  therefore,  can  we  look  for 
such  Rules.  That  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
not  to  go  beyond  the  By-Laws,  Mrs.  Eddy  has  made 
plain  in  "Take  Notice,"  in  the  Sentinel  of  October  16, 
1909: 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  15 

TAKE  NOTICE. 

I  approve  the  By-Laws  of  The  Mother  Church,  and  re- 
quire the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  to  maintain 
them  and  sustain  them.  These  Directors  do  not  act 
contrary  to  the  rules  of  the  Church  Manual,  neither  do 
they  trouble  me  with  their  difficulties  with  individuals  in 
their  own  church  or  with  the  members  of  branch  churches. 

My  province  as  a  Leader — as  the  Discoverer  and  Founder 
of  Christian  Science — is  not  to  interfere  in  cases  of  disci- 
pline, and  I  hereby  publicly  declare  that  I  am  not  personally 
involved  in  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  any  other  way  than 
through  my  written  and  published  rules,  all  of  which  can 
be  read  by  the  individual  who  desires  to  inform  himself  of 
the  facts. 

Mary  Baker  Eddy. 
Oct,  12,  1909. 

Therefore  the  individual,  as  a  duty  and  right,  may  go 
to  those  By-Laws  to  determine  what  Rules  govern. 

It  is  important  to  notice  that  our  Leader  has  recog- 
nized that  to  understand  divine  law  sufBciently  to 
make  a  By-Law  in  conformity  thereto,  is  a 
spiritual  quality  which  cannot  be  delegated  ^chu^rm- 
to  another  person  or  to  any  body  of  persons,  rectors  not  a 
and  for  that  reason  Mrs.  Eddy  has  protected  body 

The  Mother  Church  and  the  branch  churches 
from  the  disintegrating  influence  of  man-made  laws 
by  reserving  to  herself  the  law-making  power.  The 
Board  of  Directors  has  no  power  to  make,  amend 
or  annul  a  By-Law,  but  on  the  contrary  must  be  gov- 
erned by  those  already  made  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

In  Article  XXXV.,  Section  i,  the  Church  Manual 
is  referred  to  as  "written  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy  and 
copyrighted."  (It  is  significant  that  in  1895,  and  prior 
thereto,  the  copyright  was  taken  out  by  the  Christian 


i6        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Science  Board  of  Directors,  and  in  the  succeeding  years 
to  1 901,  by  James  A.  Neal  and  Thomas  W.  Hatten; 
but  beginning  with  1903,  the  copyright  is  in  the  name 
only  of  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy.)  In  the  same  section 
we  read: 

This  Manual  shall  not  be  revised  without  the  written 
consent  of  its  author  (Article  XXXV.,  Section  i). 

And  again: 

No  new  Tenet  or  By-Law  shall  be  adopted,  nor  any 
Tenet  or  By-Law  amended  or  annulled,  without  the  written 
consent  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  the  author  of  our  textbook, 
Science  and  Health  (Article  XXXV.,  Sect.  3). 

Thus  we  must  conclude  that  the  Christian  Science 
Board  of  Directors,  officially  and  individually  as  mem- 
bers thereof,  is  under  the  same  duty  of  obedience  to 
the  By-Laws  as  any  other  member  of  the  church,  and 
that  the  Board's  authority  and  powers  are  no  broader 
than  the  clear  meaning  of  the  By-Laws  expressly 
bestows ;  and  if  there  is  any  doubt  as  to  the  meaning 
of  a  By-Law,  it  must  be  determined  according  to  the 
rule  of  Christian  Science,  as  found  in  the  textbook, 
Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary 
Baker  Eddy. 

It  is  important  also  to  note  that  our  Leader  has 

provided    against    any   possible   future    en- 

pe°Jetu°ate      croachmcut   upon   the  independence  of  the 

branch  branch  churches  by  the  following  provision 

church  ■'  . 

government    found  in  Article  XXIII.,  Section  6: 

If  the  Pastor  Emeritus,  Mrs.  Eddy,  should  relinquish 
her  place  as  the  head  or  Leader  of  The  Mother  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  each  branch  church  shall  continue  its 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  17 

present  form  of  government  in  consonance  with  The  Mother 
Church  Manual. 

5.  The  Manual  is  not  a  mere  code-book  of  human  laws, 
not  merely  rules  of  procedure  governing  a  human  eccle- 
siastical organization. 

To  consider  the  Manual  merely  as  a  code-book  of 
laws  framed  to  govern  a  human  ecclesiastical  organiza- 
tion, is  to  mistake  the  nature  and  import 
not  only  of  the  By-Laws,  but  also  of  the   The  Manual 

-'  "^  a  means  or 

organization  of  The  Mother  Church  itself,  demonstrating 
The  object  of  the  By-Laws  is  to  enable  us  *  t'lve 
to  put  into  practical  demonstration  the 
divine  law  of  Love.  If  one  seeks  to  find  in  the  Manual 
merely  rules  of  procedure  for  indictments,  complaints, 
and  trials,  not  only  will  such  rules  not  be  found,  but 
the  Manual  itself  will  become  a  closed  book  to  such  an 
inquirer,  because  the  spiritual  interpretation  has  been 
lost.  To  the  Christian  Scientist,  seeking  the  applica- 
tion of  divine  law,  the  Manual,  with  our  textbook 
and  the  Scriptures,  sufficiently  covers  every  exigency. 

6.  Was  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Directors  in  pro- 
mulgating its  "  Findings  and  Orders  "  of  Sep-  d^  Directors 
temher  25,  igoQ,  affecting  Mrs.  Stetson,  in    observe  By- 

_  ^  Laws  in 

accord  with  the  By-Laws  f  "Findings 

The  following  facts  are  to  be  noted:  *"'*  orders"? 

(a)  On  August  3,  1909,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 

C.S.D.,  received  the  following  telegram: 

August  3, 1909,  Boston,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E,  Stetson, 

I  W.  96  St.,  N.  Y. 

Charges  against  you  dismissed.     Will  write  more  fully 

later. 

(Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Sec'y. 


1 8        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

On  August  5,  1909,  Mrs.  Stetson  received  the  follow- 
ing letter: 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 

Office  of  the 

Secretary 

August  4,  1909. 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D., 
7  West  96th  St., 

New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Mrs.  Stetson: — Because  of  the  concluding  portion 

of  Section  13  of  Article  XL, '  of  the  By-laws  of  The  Mother 

Church,  the  charges  against  you  recently  filed 

against  with  this  Board  have  been  dismissed,  and  the 

Mrs.  stetson  entire  matter  is  now  left  with  the  branch  church 

dismissed  ,      ,  .    , 

of  which  you  are  a  member. 
Sincerely  yours, 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors. 

By  (Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

From  that  date  until  the  receipt  of  the  "Findings  and 
Orders"  of  September  25,  1909,  Mrs.  Stetson  had  no 
official  knowledge  of  any  complaints  or  proceedings 
pending  against  her,  and  as  late  as  five  o'clock  p.m.  of 
September  24,  the  New  York  Trustees  in  conference 
with  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  at  Boston 
were  advised  by  Clifford  P.  Smith,  First  Reader  of 
The  Mother  Church:  "This  inquiry  has  been  instituted 

'  Article  XL  Members  of  Branch  Churches.  Sect.  13.  A  member 
of  both  The  Mother  Church  and  a  branch  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
or  a  Reader,  shall  not  report  nor  send  notices  to  The  Mother  Church, 
or  the  Pastor  Emeritus,  of  errors  of  the  members  of  their  local  church; 
but  they  shall  strive  to  overcome  these  errors.  Each  church  shall 
separately  and  independently  discipline  its  own  members, — if  this  sad 
necessity  occurs. 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  19 

under  a  certain  section  of  the  By-Laws,  and  not  against 
any  person.''     (See  page  38.) 

{h)  Mrs.  Stetson  was  not  present  nor  invited  to  be 
present  at  any  of  the  hearings  held  at  Boston  during 
September,  1909. 

(c)  Other  persons  than  members  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  were  present  at  these  hearings,  i.  e. 
Judge   CHfford   P.    Smith,  V.    O.    Strickler, 

.  1  .  Directors 

Stenographer,  etc.  conducted 

According   to  the   statements  of   CHfford   investigation 

without 

P.   Smith   and   Archibald   McLellan   at   the        notice  to 
Boston  "Conference"  on  September  24,  1909,       ^x^s^ees 
the  inquiry  of   September,    1909,    was  made 
under   Article    XII.,    Section    2    of    the    Manual. 

Article  XII.  bears  the  general  caption,  "Teachers," 
and  is  composed  of  two  sections,  one  entitled  "Proba- 
tion," the  other  "  Misteaching ; "  but  the  two  sections 
must  be  read  together  to  be  understood,  and  must  be 
read  in  conjunction  with  Article  XI.,  Section  4,  which 
is  specifically  incorporated  in  Section  2  of  Article  XII. 

Article  XI.,  Section  4,  reads  as  follows: 

No  church  discipline  shall  ensue  until  the  requirements 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  in  Matthew  i8: 15-17,  have 
been  strictly  obeyed,  unless  a  By-Law  governing  the  case 
provides  for  immediate  action. 

No  admonition  in  accordance  with  Matthew  xviii., 
15-17,  was  given  to  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  the  „,     „^.  ^ 

,       '  '  °  '  Were  "Find- 

Directors,  at  the  "Conference"  in  Boston  ingsandor- 
with  the  New  York  Trustees  on  September  pUneind^I 
24,  1909,  in  answer  to  direct  questions  on        regard  of 

,.  .  1      ..         1  Manual? 

that  point,  declined    to    answer,   except  to 

declare  that  they  had  done  all  that  "  they  felt  required 

to  be  done  under  that  section." 


20        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  "Findings  and  Orders"  of  September  25,  1909, 
were  an  infliction  of  discipline.  They  were  an  attempt 
to  deprive  a  teacher,  with  twenty-five  years  of  success- 
ful practice  and  teaching  under  the  continuous  super- 
vision and  endorsement  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy  to  her 
credit,  of  the  right  to  practise  and  teach  Christian 
Science — a  right  conferred  on  her  by  our  Leader  herself. 
In  calling  this  an  "  admonition  "  (see  page  22)  was  it 
not  a  perversion  of  the  By-Laws,  and  a  disregard  of 
the  Christian  rule  laid  down  in  Matthew  xviii.,  15-17? 

The  terms  of  the  "Findings"  themselves  explicitly 
set  forth  that  it  is  the  infliction  of  the  penalty  prescribed 
in  Article  XIL,  Section  i,  and  what  the  Directors  did 
was  done  without  complying  with  the  directions  in 
Section  2  of  Article  XIL,  which  provides  that  in  such 
a  case  "it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Directors  to 
admonish  that  member  according  to  Article  XI,  Sect.  4." 

Was  not  this  action  of  the  Board  of  Directors  in 
utter  disregard  of  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  By- 
were  ordin-  ^■'^^^  referred  to,  and  repugnant  to  common 
ary  rules  justice,  in  that  punishment  was  inflicted  after 
observed?  ^  hearing  of  which  the  person  suffering  the 
punishment  had  no  notice,  at  which  she  was 
not  present  and  had  no  opportunity  to  defend  herself? 

7.  Was  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Directors  relating 
to  Mrs.  Stetson,  residting  in  her  "trial"  and  expulsion 
in  November,  iqoq,  in  accord  with  the  By-Laws  ? 

After  the  telegram  of  August  3,  and  the  letter 
Nocommuni-  of  August  4,  1909,  dismissing  the  "charges" 
cation  with  against  Mrs.  Stetson  no  further  communi- 
befor"pr^  cation  from  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The 
nouncing        Mothcr  Church  was  received  by  her  until 

judgment 

their  letter  of  September  25,    1909,  enclos- 
ing the  "  Findings  and  Orders."      These  "  Findings  and 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  21 

Orders,"  promulgated  without  a  trial   of    any    sort, 
were  as  follows: 

FINDINGS  AND  ORDERS 

1.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  teaches  her  students,  or  those 
with  whom  she  has  been  holding  daily  meetings,  that  the 
branch  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  of  which  she  is  a  mem- 
ber, is  the  only  legitimate  Christian  Science  church  in 
New  York  City;  and  she  teaches  her  students,  or  said  group 
of  students,  not  to  regard  the  other  branches  of  The 
Mother  Church  which  are  in  that  city  as  Christian  Science 
churches. 

2.  That  a  considerable  number  of  the  witnesses  whose 
testimony  the  Directors  have  heard,  exhibit  as  Mrs.  Stet- 
son's teaching  an  erroneous  sense  of  Christian  Science, 
particularly  in  regard  to  the  application  of  Christian  Science 
to  human  needs  and  conditions;  the  witnesses  whom  the 
Directors  have  heard  being  with  one  exception  her  students, 
and  being  a  select  body  of  students  chosen  by  her,  or  a 
board  of  which  she  was  a  member,  to  be  representative 
practitioners  of  Christian  Science. 

3.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  endeavors  to  exercise  a  control 
over  her  students  which  tends  to  hinder  their  moral  and 
spiritual  growth. 

4.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  endeavors  to  obtrude  herself  upon 
the  attention  of  her  students  in  such  manner  as  to  turn 
their  attention  away  from  divine  Principle. 

5.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  practises  and  teaches  pretended 
Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement  thereof  in 
"Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures," 
particularly  by  treating  persons  without  their  request  or 
consent,  and  by  teaching  a  select  body  of  her  students  to 
do  likewise. 

6.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  attempts  to  control  and  to  injure 
persons  by  mental  means;  this  being  utterly  contrary  to 
the  teachings  of  Christian  Science. 


22        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

7.     That  Mrs.  Stetson  has  so  strayed  from  the  right  way 
as  not  to  be  fit  for  the  work  of  a  teacher  of  Christian  Science. 

The  letter  of  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary,  read: 

Letter.     Enclosure  (i) 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 
Office  of  the 

Secretary 

September  25,  1909. 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 

7  West  96th  Street, 

New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Mrs.  Stetson: — By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors 

I  am  sending  you  herewith  a  copy  of  the  Findings  and 

Orders  concerning  yourself  this  day  made  by  them. 

The  copy  of  their  action  is  sent  you  in  order  to  inform 

you  thereof  and  in  order  to  admonish  you  concerning  errors 

on  your  part  therein  pointed  out. 

The  Board  directs  me  to  express  the  hope  that  you  will 

accept  this  admonition  and  desist  from  a  repetition  of  the 

errors  which  they  have  pointed  out. 

Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore, 

Secretary  for  THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  BOARD  OF 

DIRECTORS. 

{a)     Article  XII.,  Section  2,  provides  that  after  being 

admonished,    "Then,  if  said  member  persists  in  this 

offense,  his  or  her  name  shall  be  dropped  from  the  roll 

of  this  Church."      That  is  to  say,  after  a 

No  probation-  .   ,       .,       , 

ary  period  mcmbcr  has  been  admonished,  there  must  be 
allowed  proof  that  thereafter  he  continued  or  persisted 
in  the  offense.     There  is  no  evidence,  nor  is  it  the  fact. 


Manual  and  Branch  Church  Government  23 

that  Mrs.  Stetson's  name  was  dropped  from  the  roll  of 
the  Church,  because  of  offenses  alleged  to  have  been 
committed  between  September  25,  1909,  and  the  time  of 
the  filing  of  the  Complaint  {i.  e.  November  6,  1909). 
On  the  contrary,  the  evidence  before  the  Board  of 
Directors  in  support  of  the  Complaint  (as  appears  by 
statement  in  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  November 
27,  1909)  consisted  of  affidavits,  letters  by  Mrs.  Stetson 
to  her  students,  and  the  Composite  Letter'  to  Mrs. 
Stetson,  all  of  which  concerned  matters  that  occurred 
prior  to  September  25,  1909,  and  were  inadmissible, 
except  as  they  might  be  coupled  with  proof  that  the 
offenses  were  persisted  in  after  admonition. 

The  provisions  of  Article  XL,  Section  6,  give  The 
Mother  Church  Directors  jurisdiction  over  a  member 
of  The  Mother  Church  only  in  case  ''said  member 
belongs  to  no  branch  church.''  It  must  be  remembered 
that  at  this  time  (November,  1909),  Mrs.  Stetson  was 
still  a  member  of  the  branch  church,  and  so 
continued  until  her  voluntary  resignation  on  ^g^°^^pj"tJ" 
November  22,  1909,  but  she  had  already  tion  of  branch 
been  declared  deposed  by  the  Board  of  "  ""^^e^Jsmp 
Directors  as  a  teacher  and  practitioner,  and, 
therefore,  as  far  as  the  Directors  were  concerned,  she 
had  no  other  or  different  standing  from  any  other 
member  of  The  Mother  Church  who  was  also  a  member 
of  a  branch  church,  and  every  Rule  and  By-Law  should 
have  been,  and  in  fact  was,  for  her  protection. 

The  branch  church  (First  Church  of  Christ,  Scien- 
tist), at  its  meeting  on  November  4,  1909,  vindicated 
Mrs.  Stetson. 

A  complaint  against  Mrs.  Stetson  was  filed  by  the 
First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  with  the  Board  of 

'  See  pages  134-165. 


24       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Directors  on  November  6,  1909  (see  Sentinel,  Novem- 
ber 27,  1909),  and  the  orders  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
on  that  day  fixed  November  15,  1909,  as  the  day  for 
her  "trial." 

{h)  Article  XI.,  Section  5,  provides  that  "Only  the 
members  of  this  Board  shall  be  present  at  meetings  for 
the  examination  of  complaints,  .  .  ." 

Was  not  this  provision  violated  by  the  presence  of 

the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  at  the  "trial" 

of    Mrs.   Stetson,    November   15-17,    1909? 

\76r6  Dir6c~ 

tors'  meetings  It  IS  to  be  notcd  that  whcn  the  By-Law  of 
'cmstftuted?  "^P^^  ^9  appeared  (see  Sentifiel  of  April  26, 
1900)  this  privilege  was  specifically  granted 
to  the  First  Reader,  and  continued  until  1903,  when 
the  By-Law  was  amended  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and 
the  words  "and  the  First  Reader"  were  omitted;  thus 
affirmatively  taking  away  the  privilege,  so  that  the 
By-Law  now  reads: 

Article  XI.  Authority.  Sect.  5.  .  .  .  Only  the  mem- 
bers of  this  Board  shall  be  present  at  meetings  for  the 
examination  of  complaints  against  church  members;  and 
they  alone  shall  vote  on  cases  involving  The  Mother  Church 
discipline. 


CHAPTER  III 

MRS.  STETSON  BEFORE  THE  DIRECTORS  OF  THE 
MOTHER  CHURCH 

The  first  charges  against  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
C.S.D.,  were  considered  in  a  disciplinary  manner  by  the 
Board  of  Directors,  during  July,  1909,  and 

Mrs.  Stetson 

resulted  in  the  dismissal  of  the  charges  on  refutes  only 
August  3.  At  this  hearing  Mrs.  Stetson  was  f^^^^^Z 
present  in  person  and  was  confronted  by  one 
witness,  Mrs.  Maude  Kissam  Babcock,  who  was  ex- 
amined in  Mrs.  Stetson's  presence  by  the  Directors  and 
was  cross-examined  by  Mrs.  Stetson  herself.  The 
result  was  the  refutation  of  the  testimony  as  originally 
given  by  Mrs.  Babcock,  and  the  receipt  of  a  telegram 
by  Mrs.  Stetson  from  the  Directors  reading : 

August  3,  1909,  Boston,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
I  W.  96  St.,  N.Y. 
Charges  against  you  dismissed.     Will  write    charges  dis- 
more  fully  later.  missed 

(Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Sec'y.  ^"^''* 

In  September,  1909,  twenty-five  members  of  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  were 
summoned  to  a  "  Conference,"  so-called,  and  questioned 
by  the  Directors.     At  this  inquiry  Mrs.  Stetson  was 

25 


26        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

not  present  nor  represented,  and  in  fact  was  not  even 
advised  that  she  and  her  teaching  were  the  subject 
of  investigation.  No  provision  was  made 
hearings  for  counscl  to  represent  either  Mrs.  Stetson 
held  in  her     qj.  ^j^g  practitioncrs  who  had  been  called  for 

absence  ^ 

conference  but  who  were  instead  treated  as 
witnesses.  The  day  following  the  conclusion  of  this 
examination  of  the  practitioners,  the  Directors  issued 
their  "Findings  and  Orders"  of  September  25,  1909, 
against  Mrs.  Stetson. 

Mrs.  Stetson's  "trial"  of  November,  1909,  was 
begun  on  the  15th  day  of  that  month  and  continued 

three  days.  Mrs.  Stetson  was  present  in 
Her  accusers  person   during   this   time   but   no   witnesses 

absent  m  her    ^  f 

November      appeared  against  her  for  examination.     The 
affidavh^"       cvidcncc    against    her    was    presented    by 

means  of  affidavits  of  which  she  had  no  pre- 
vious knowledge  nor  opportunity  to  examine.  Not 
one  witness  confronted  her  nor  was  one  cross-examined 
by  her,  and  no  opportunity  for  any  cross-examination 
was  offered.  The  result  of  this  "trial"  was  the  drop- 
ping of  Mrs.  Stetson's  name  from  the  roll  of  church 
membership.  Was  not  this  a  signal  miscarriage  of 
justice? 

John  H.  Wigmore,  Professor  of  the  Law  of  Evidence 
in  the  Law  School  of  Northwestern  University,  and 
Wigmore  on  ^^®  leading  authority  in  this  country  on 
essentials  of    that   subjcct,   statcs  thc  fundamental  rules 

governing  the  introduction  of  evidence  by 
the  testimony  of  witnesses  in  the  following  language 
(see  Wigmore's  Pocket  Code  of  Evidence,  Sect.  910) : 

RULE  134.  General  Principle.  Every  human  assertion, 
offered  testimonially,  i.  e.  as  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the 
fact  asserted,  must  be  subjected  to  two  tests: 


Mrs.  Stetson  Before  Directors  27 

(i)  The  person  making  the  assertion  must  be  subjected 
to  cross-examination  by  the  opponent,  i.e.  must  make  it 
under  such  circumstances  that  the  opponent  has  an  ade- 
quate opportunity,  if  desired,  to  test  the  truth  of  the  asser- 
tion by  questions  which  the  person  is  obHged  to  answer ; 

(2)  The  person  making  the  assertion  must  be  confronted 
with  the  opponent  and  the  tribunal,  i.  e.  must  be  in  their 
presence  when  making  the  assertion. 

That  the  foregoing  are  not  mere  technical  rules  of 
procedure,  but  rather  go  to  the  very  tap  roots  of  proper 
administration  of  justice,  is  apparent  to  any  person 
giving  the  subject  thought.  This  is  most  aptly  shown 
by  Prof.  Wigmore's  explanatory  note  which  follows  the 
statement  of  the  above  rules: 

Reason  and  Policy.      The  test  of  cross-examination  is 
found  by  experience  to  provide  the  most  powerful  means 
of  ascertaining  the  circumstances  which  affect 
the  trustworthiness  of  the  witness'  assertion.  The     '°^nado*inf 
mere  assertion  of  the  witness,  especially  when         accusers 

.        .  .  •  f  J  ■      1         J     *  indispensable 

he  IS  a  partisan,  leaves  undisclosed  innumer- 
able details  which  may  affect  his  grounds  of  knowledge, 
his  interest,  his  bias,  his  character,  and  the  supplementary 
and  qualifying  facts  of  the  issue.  The  mere  assertion  is 
related  to  all  these  possible  facts  much  as  a  fiat  outline 
drawing  is  to  a  painting  with  lights,  shadows,  perspective, 
and  color.  These  additional  elements  can  often  be  sup- 
plied by  cross-examination  only.  .  .  . 

Professor  Wigmore  in  his  book  gives  a  practical 
illustration  of  the  value  and  importance  of  intelligent 
cross-examination  in  bringing  out  the  truth  in  reference 
to  allegations  of  witnesses.  The  example  given  also 
serves  to  bring  out  the  truth  that  a  statement  of  words 
to  a  certain  extent  may  appear  true,  and  yet  may  not 


28        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

be  the  whole  truth,  and  that  the  statement  of  a  half 
truth  is  just  as  misleading  and  false,  and  often  more 
so  than  an  absolutely  false  statement  of  fact.  We 
quote  as  follows: 

Illustration.  Breach  of  warranty  of  a  horse;  the  plaintiff 
alleged  that  the  horse  was  not  "kind"  and  could  not  be 
shod.     The  defendant  called  two  witnesses.     The  first  was 

a  blacksmith  who  had  shod  the  horse  often;  he 
nature  of  answercd  that  "he  had  no  difficulty  in  shoeing 
half-truths      him,"   that  "he  stood   perfectly  quiet."     The 

second  witness  was  an  old  man  who  had  formerly 
owned  the  horse ;  when  asked  whether  he  had  any  trouble 
in  getting  the  horse  to  a  blacksmith's  shop,  he  replied  that 
he  "never  took  him  to  a  blacksmith's  shop,  while  he  owned 
him,  for  shoeing."  The  jury  found  for  the  defendant.  The 
next  day,  the  blacksmith  explained  awa5^  to  an  attorney- 
friend,  the  witnesses'  apparently  convincing  testimony:  "I 
told  the  attorney  that  the  horse  stood  perfectly  quiet  while 
I  shod  him  ;  so  he  did;  but  I  did  n't  tell  that  I  had  to 
hold  him  by  the  nose  with  a  pair  of  pincers  to  make  him 
stand.  The  old  man  said  he  never  took  the  horse  to  a 
blacksmith's  shop  while  he  owned  him ;  and  no  more  did  he ; 
but  he  had  to  take  him  out  into  an  open  lot  and  cast  him, 
before  he  could  shoe  him."  Here  a  proper  cross-examination 
would  have  exposed  these  facts  and  shown  the  real  value 
of  the  testimony  for  the  defendant. 

The  foregoing  is  an  illustration  of  the  falsity  of  a 
judgment  based  upon  the  acceptance  as  truth  of  state- 
ments which  present  only  a  portion  of  the  facts  relat- 
ing to  an  issue.  In  Mrs.  Stetson's  "trial "  by  the  Board 
of  Directors  in  July,  1909,  they  confronted  her  with 
but  one  witness.  This  witness,  Mrs.  Maude  Kissam 
Babcock,  was  a  former  student  of  Mrs.  Stetson,  and 
at  one  time  a  practitioner  associated  with  First  Church 


Mrs.  Stetson  Before  Directors         29 

of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City.  Whatever  value 
the  Board  of  Directors  may  have  given  to  Mrs.  Bab- 
cock's  testimony  after  she  had  been  confronted  by 
Mrs.  Stetson  with  denial  and  explanation,  the  Directors 
dismissed  the  charges  against  Mrs.  Stetson  within  the 
next  week,  as  shown  by  their  telegram  of  August  3, 
1909. 

After  this  experience  in  confronting  the  accused  with 
the  accuser,  the  truth  being  thereby  brought  out 
through  the  questioning  of  the  witness,  it  is  p^^j^^jg^tai 
significant  that  in  other  subsequent  proce-  right  not  ofifer- 
dure  when  the  witness  testified,  the  accused^ 
was  not  summoned,  and  that  when  the  accused  was 
summoned,  the  witnesses  were  absent. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  the  only  instance  where  the 
usual  order  of  procedure  was  observed,  in  which  the 
accused  was  permitted  to  face  the  accuser,  it  resulted  in 
the  dismissal  of  the  charges:  and  that,  in  the  subsequent 
proceedings  of  September  and  November,  1909,  in 
which  Mrs.  Stetson  was  adjudged  guilty  by  the  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church  the  fundamental  right  in  the 
order  of  procedure  was  not  accorded. 


CHAPTER  IV 

BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  CONTROVERSY 

The  first  official  notice  which  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
had  of  what  was  being  done  by  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church,  in  matters  affecting  the  New 
«   .    ..«      York  church,  was  disclosed  in  the  "Conference" 

Boston  "Con-  ' 

ference"  with  of  September  24,  1909,  in  the  Board  Room  of 
Tr^JItees  The  Mothcr  Church,  to  which,  by  request  of 
September  thc  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  most 
of  the  members  of  the  New  York  Board  of 
Trustees  had  been  called  at  forty-eight  hours'  notice. 
All  those  invited  were  present  except  two — Mr.  Edwin 
F.  Hatfield,  Chairman  of  the  Board,  and  Mrs.  Isabelle 
C.  Dam.  The  former  was  unavoidably  detained,  and 
the  latter  did  not  receive  the  notice.  Mrs.  Augusta 
E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  then  a  regular  member  of  the 
New  York  Board,  was  not  invited,  as  was  afterwards 
learned.  The  six  members  present  were  Mrs.  Suzanne 
S.  Thomas,  Messrs.  John  Franklin  Crowell,  John  D. 
Higgins,  Adolph  Rusch,  William  H.  Taylor,  Joseph  B. 
Whitney.  Every  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church  was  present,  namely,  Archibald 
McLellan,  Allison  V.  Stewart,  Ira  O.  Knapp,  Stephen 
A.  Chase,  and  John  V.  Dittemore;  and  in  addition  to 
these  there  were  present  Clifford  P.  Smith,  First  Reader 
of   The   Mother   Church,    Virgil   O.    Strickler,    First 

30 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy         31 

Reader,  and  Miss  Ella  Garrison  Young,  Second  Reader, 
of  First  Church  of  New  York  City,  and  a  stenographer 
representing  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the  New  York 
Trustees  respectively. 

This  meeting,  as  soon  as  it  was  called  to  order,  by 
Archibald  McLellan,  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors, proved  to  be  for  the  purpose  of  stating  to  the 
Trustees  of  the  New  York  church  then  present  such 
of  the  results  of  a  so-called  investigation  by  The  Mother 
Church  Directors  as  they  elected  to  impart. 

The  presiding  officer,  Archibald  McLellan,  in  intro- 
ducing the  business  of  the  "  Conference,"  stated  that  the 
Board  of  Directors  had  been  making  an  in- 
vestigation based  upon   "a  widespread  im-  Amnvestiga- 

c>  J-  x-  tion  aSecting 

pression,"  and  on  the  story  of  a  travelling  First  church, 
salesman,  about  conditions  said  to  exist  in  ^  (^'ty 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York 
City.  It  was  disclosed  furthermore  that,  with  Clifford 
P.  Smith,  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church,  acting 
in  the  capacity  of  examiner,  some  time  had  been  spent 
in  making  inquiry  of  practitioners  as  well  as  in  hearing 
statements  by  both  Readers  of  First  Church,  New  York 
City.  All  this  had  been  done  without  any  communica- 
tion with  the  Board  of  Trustees  in  First  Church,  New 
York  City,  and  without  in  any  way  advising  ^^^  ^^^^ 
them  of  the  extraordinary  procedure  in  the  Trustees  en- 
examination  of  some  twenty-five  practitioners  *"*  ^  *^'***'^^ 
from  First  Church,  New  York,  upon  conditions  alleged 
to  have  existed  there. 

The  following  extracts  from  stenographic  notes  of 
the  interview  speak  for  themselves: 
Mr.   Taylor:    Are    you    sitting    as    the    Board    of 

Directors? 
Mr.  McLellan:     I  will  say  we  are  sitting  informally. 


S2        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mr.  Taylor:  Then  this  is  not  a  matter  of  regular 
business? 

Mr.  McLellan  :  It  is  a  matter  of  the  members  of  the 
Board  of  Directors'  meeting  with  these  ladies  and 
gentlemen  here  present.  We  have  asked  them 
to  come  here,  and  Judge  Smith  will  make  any 
statements  for  the  Board  of  Directors. 

Mr.  Taylor:     In  what  capacity  are  we  here? 

Mr.  McLellan:  Because  you  are  Trustees  and  offi- 
cers of  First  Church,  New  York. 

Mr.  Taylor:    Are  we  called  as  officers  and  Trustees? 

Mr.  McLellan:    You  are  called  here  as  individuals. 

Mr.  Taylor:     I  simply  want  to  get  our  own  position 

Under  what    right    in    the    matter.     Under    what    pro- 

"c^nflrrni"^^^^^^    °^    ^^^     By-Laws    are     we     called 

convened?        hcrC? 

Mr.  McLellan:  The  provision  of  the  By-Laws  under 
which  this  investigation  has  been  conducted  is 
the  one  that  Judge  Smith  has  here. 

Judge  Smith:  Section  2,  Article  XII.,  was  the  section 
under  which  these  witnesses  were  heard. 

Mr.  Taylor:  Section  2,  Article  XII.  That  is  "Mis- 
teaching." 

Judge  Smith:  There  are  a  number  of  By-Laws 
involved. 

Mr.  Taylor:  May  I  ask  when  this  inquiry  was 
started? 

Mr.  McLellan:  The  witnesses,  or  those  named, 
have  been  examined  in  the  last  two  weeks. 

Mr.  Taylor:  Was  that  the  first  that  the  inquiry  was 
started? 

Mr.  McLellan:  I  do  not  think  I  quite  get  your 
meaning.  The  present  inquiry  was  started 
about  two  weeks  ago,  I  think. 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy  33 

Mr.  Taylor:    The  present  inquiry  was  started  two 

weeks  ago?     Was  that  based  on  a  complaint 

made  to  the  Board? 
Mr.  McLellan:    No. 
Mr.  Taylor:     Then  on  what  was  it  based? 
Mr.  McLellan:     On  the  duty  of  the  Board  to  make 

an  investigation. 
Mr.  Knapp  :     I  think  if  you  will  read  the  By-Law  that 

will  explain  the  matter. 

(Mr.  Taylor  reads  Section  2,  Article  XII.) 

Mr.  Taylor:    Has  Article  XL,  Section  4,  been  com- 
plied with? 

Mr.  McLellan:    What  is  that? 

Mr.  Taylor:    Article  XL,  Section  4,  reads  "Prelimi- 
nary   Requirement."      I    asked    the 
question    whether    that    requirement    By^Law^was 
has  been  complied    with,  in  accord-       Directors' 

.   1        ,  .  .  1  1  •    1       investigation 

ance    with  this  section  under  which  made? 

you    say     you    have    been   acting? 
Mr.   McLellan:      No    discipline    has    ensued. 
Mr.  Taylor:     I  ask  you  whether  the  action  to  be 

taken  as  set  forth  in  Section  2,  Article  XII., 

which  refers  to  Section  4,  of  Article  XL,  has 

been  conformed  to  by  yourselves? 
Mr.  McLellan:    Mr.    Strickler,    has    Mrs.    Stetson 

been  admonished? 
Mr.  Strickler:    Well,  I  can  only  say  that  about  two 

months  ago  Mrs.  Stetson  was  brought  up  here. 

I  know  from  what  Mrs.  Stetson  told  me  herself 

as  to  what  took  place  here.     She  told  me  that 


Mr.  Taylor:     I  do  not  think  you  ought  to  tell  that 
in  her  absence. 


34       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mr.  Strickler:  I  can  only  say  that  I  received  a 
letter  from  the  Board  of  Directors  calling  my 
attention  to  the  matter  and  referring  me  to  my 
duty  under  the  section  of  the  By-Law. 

Mr.  Taylor:    Have  you  that  letter? 

Mr.  Strickler:  It  referred  to  me  as  First  Reader, 
in  charge  of  the  church  matters. 

Mr.  Taylor:  Do  I  understand  that  the  Board  of 
Directors  deputized  Mr.  Strickler  to  do  certain 
work  for  them  in  this  matter? 

Mr.  McLellan:     My  answer  is  no. 

Mr.  Taylor:  I  imderstand  that  Mrs.  Stetson  was 
here. 

Mr.  Strickler  :    About  two  months  ago. 

Mr.  Taylor:  I  understand  that  this  investigation 
started  two  weeks  ago.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  the 
charges  to  which  you  refer  of  some  two  months 
ago  were  dismissed,  Mr.  McLellan?  Is  not  that 
a  fact? 

Mr.  McLellan:    Yes,  that  is  a  fact. 

Mr.  Taylor:  Have  you  under  this  present  pro- 
ceeding   conformed    to    the    terms    as   laid 

Did  Directors  ^q^^  {^  Scction  2  of  Article  XIL,  or  done 

conform  to  .  .  *       •    i       -« 

Art.  XII.,        what  is  required   in  Section  4,  Article  XL, 

of^Manuli?^ '*  — givcn  the  preliminary  requirements,  which 
you  are  obliged  to  do? 

Mr.  McLellan:  Well,  Mr.  Taylor,  you  misunder- 
stand the  matter  just  a  little.  The  By-Law 
says  that  no  discipline  shall  ensue  until  this 
has  been  done. 

Mr.  Taylor:  I  am  asking  you  have  you  done 
that? 

Mr.  McLellan:  We  have  done  all  that  the  By-Law 
requires. 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy  35 

Judge  Smith:  It  is  possible  that  there  may  be  a 
misunderstanding  between  you  gentlemen,  owing 
to  your  understanding  of  Section  4,  Article  XI. 
As  I  understand  Section  4,  Article  XL,  it  does 
not  require  the  Board  of  Directors  to  give  that 
admonition.  It  may  be  given  by  any  person ;  so 
this  cross-examination  by  the  visiting  brother  is 
possibly  based  upon  misunderstanding  of  that 
By-Law.  Permit  me  also  to  raise  the  point  of 
order  as  to  whether  it  is  in  order  for  these 
visitors  whom  we  have  invited  to  an  informal 
conference  to  start  in  with  a  cross-examination 
of  this  Board.  As  I  understand  the  occasion, 
it  is  an  informal  meeting  between  the  Executive 
Board  of  The  Mother  Church  and  the  Executive 
Board  of  a  branch  church. 

Mr.  Taylor:  Mr.  Chairman,  I  will  answer.  It  is 
simply  that  we  may  know  just  where  we 
are  at  at  this  time.  We  do  not  know  at 
all. 

Judge  Smith:  If  any  explanation  is  desired  on  that 
point  it  may  be  made. 

Mr.  Taylor:  We  feel  that  all  of  these  things  should 
be  done  in  the  Hne  of  law  and  order;  for  if  this 
thing  is  being  done  in  any  other  way  than  the 
right  way,  I  am  sure  you  gentlemen  will  be  the 
first  to  join  me  in  correcting  it. 

Mr.  McLellan:  Permit  me  to  say,  Mr.  Taylor, 
that  you  mistake  your  position  entirely.  The 
Board  has  asked  you  to  come  here  informally, 
and  you  have  asked  that  question,  and  it  was 
said — informally  and  as  individuals. 

Mr.  Taylor:  The  question  that  I  want  to  raise  is 
this 


36        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mr.  McLellan:  Now,  will  you  raise  that  question, 
and  then  we  will  go  ahead. 

Mr.  Taylor:  I  will  ask  the  question  simply  whether 
you  have  performed  the  act,  or  caused  to  be 
performed  the  act  in  Section  4,  Article  XL, 
which  the  section  under  which  you  are  acting 
provides  shall  be  done? 

Mr.  McLellan:  It  will  be  sufficient  for  me  to  state 
that  we  have  done  all  we  felt  was  required  to  be 
done  under  that  section.  Just  as  Judge  Smith 
said,  I  think  you  have  a  different  concept. 
Now,  if  you  will  just  go  ahead  and  let  it  be  stated 
that  the  Board  of  Directors  did  all  they  felt  they 
were  required  to  do  under  that  section,  then  if 
at  any  time  in  the  future  it  becomes  neces- 
sary  

Mr.  Taylor:  Without  in  any  manner  admitting 
that  it  has  been  done,  we  are  perfectly  willing 

Explanations   that  the  Statement  as  made  by  the  Chairman 

unsatisfactory  ^^  ^^^  BosLvd  of  Dircctors  shall  be  made  a 
part  of  this  record. 

Mr.  Dittemore:  Mr.  Taylor  inquired  in  what  capa- 
city we  were  here,  and  it  might  be  appropriate 
to  say  that  first  of  all  we  are  here  as  Christian 
Scientists. 

Mr.  Taylor:  That  goes  without  saying;  but  you 
have  called  me  here  under  a  message  from  the 
Clerk  of  the  Church,  therefore  I  am  entitled  to 
know,  and  I  ask  the  question  whether  you  are 
in  executive  session,  so  to  speak,  or  other- 
wise. 

Mr.  McLellan  :     No,  we  are  here  informally. 

Mr.  Taylor:  If  you  will  allow  me  just  a  minute  to 
speak  to  the  other  Trustees, 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy  37 

(Mr.  Taylor  confers  with  Mr.  Higgins,  Dr.  Crowell, 
Mr.  Rusch,  and  Mr.  Whitney.) 

Mr.  Taylor:  We  accept  your  offer,  with  the  distinct 
understanding  that  all  of  our  rights  are  reserved 
to  us  and  that  we  consider  this  as  an  informal 
meeting,  but  that  you  have  a  statement  which 
you  wish  to  make  to  us  voluntarily. 

Dr.  Crowell:  I  should  like  to  have  a  little  more 
definite  statement,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned, 
as  to  one  particular  feature.  Is  any  particular 
member  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York,  under  investigation? 

Judge  Smith  :  The  Board  of  Directors  cannot  deter- 
mine in  advance  what  the  inquiry  will  lead  to. 
The  inquiries  are  conducted  under  a  certain 
section  of  the  By-Laws. 

Dr.  Crowell:  There  was  some  name  mentioned 
which  led  me  to  infer  that  you  had  some  par- 
ticular member  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scien- 
tist, New  York,  under  investigation.  The  letter 
gives  me  no  information  as  to  what  I  am  called 
here  for,  and  for  that  reason  I  am  not  here  as 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  collectively 
speaking,  and  I  would  like  to  get  an  intelligent 
understanding  as  to  what  the  subject  of  the 
investigation  is  before  we  proceed.  I  claim  the 
right  to  know  what  I  am  here  for,  and  if  any 
particular  individual  is  under  investigation  in 
this  matter.  I  understand  that  the .  presiding 
officer  had  mentioned  the  name  of  Mrs.  Stetson 
in  his  preliminary  question. 

Mr,  Strickler:  That  name  was  mentioned  when  I 
spoke  to  Mr.  Taylor. 


38        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Dr.  Crowell:    Then,  as  I  understand  it,  it  is  with 

reference  to  the  church  as  a  body? 
Mr.  McLellan  :     It  is  an  investigation  as  to  what  are 

the  teachings  and  practices  which  obtain  there. 
Dr.  Crowell:    And   without   any   particular  regard 

to  any  individual? 

Mr.  Taylor:    In  view  of  the  fact  that  we 

Augusta  E.  1  1  AT*  • 

Stetson  ai-  havc  bccn  called  here  as  Trustees,  m 
TrTstee^ot  ^n  individual  capacity,  however,  may  I 
invited  to       ask    why    all    of    the    Trustees    were    not 

"Conference" 

called? 
Mr.  McLellan  :     Because  it  did  not  seem  the  proper 

thing  to  call   all   of   the  Trustees. 
Mr.  Taylor:    As  I  understand  it,  all  of  the  Trustees 

have  been  called  here  except  one.     Am  I  right 

in  that? 
Mr.  McLellan:    Yes. 
Mr.  Taylor:    And  your  reason  for  that,   that  one 

being  Augusta  E.  Stetson? 
Judge  Smith  :    I  wish  to  raise  a  point  there.    This 

inquiry  has  been  instituted  under  a  certain  sec- 
tion of  the  By-Laws,  and  not  against  any 
Judge  Smith    pQYSon.     Our  brother's  assumption  is  a  mis- 

disclaims  in-     •^  i-       • 

vestigating      take.     This  is  an  inquiry  prehmmary  to  any 

any^particular  ^^^.^^    ^^^^    ^-^j^^   ^^   ^^^^^^       ^j^^    g^^^.^   q£ 

Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  considered 
that  it  was  proper  to  call  in,  as  individuals, 
most  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  First  Church,  New  York.  The  Board  of 
Directors  considered  it  wise  and  advisable  to 
call  in  most  of  the  members  of  that  Board  of 
Trustees  for  the  purpose  of  communicating 
certain  information  to  you  as  such  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy  39 

Mother  Church  is  here  as  well.  Those  who  do 
not  belong  to  the  Board  of  Trustees,  at  this  time 
are  here  by  invitation  as  individuals.  This 
request  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  discussing 
the  matter  in  a  perfectly  informal  way.  This  is 
a  matter  of  interest  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
that  church,  and  also  to  the  Directors  of  The 
Mother  Church.  There  is  no  disposition  on  the 
part  of  the  Directors  to  force  this  question  on 
you.  I  may  say  that  I  am  greatly  surprised 
that  any  one  should  come  here  with  questions, 
as  though  it  were  a  court-martial.  Now  if  it 
be  true  that  there  is  that  attitude;  if  it  be  true 
that  you  do  not  wish  to  hear  these  things,  I  am 
sure  the  Board  of  Directors  will  be  glad  to  desist. 
They  do  not  wish  to  force  anything  on  you.  If 
you  wish  to  withdraw,  I  am  sure  it  will  be  satis- 
factory all  around. 

Dr.  Crowell:  Mr.  Chairman,  may  I  say  that,  for 
myself,  and  I  speak  only  as  an  individual,  I  have 
had  no  direct  information  as  to  what  this  inquiry 
pertained  to  and  what  its  nature  was,  and  I 
understand  that  those  who  have  appeared  before 
you  have  pledged  themselves  to  secrecy. 

Mr.  McLellan:  No  one  has  been  pledged  to  secrecy 
in  any  particular  whatever. 

Dr.  Crowell:  I  am  glad  to  be  corrected,  because 
that  is  the  impression  which  has  been  given  me, 
and  therefore  we  came  with  the  idea  of  under- 
standing definitely  just  what  the  subject  of  the 
inquiry  is.  In  my  experience  with  legislation, 
you  cannot  get  an  appropriation  without  stating 
definitely  what  the  object  is.  You  ought  to 
credit  us  with  reasonable  and  just  motives,  and. 


40       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

even  if  it  takes  a  little  time  to  do  that,  we  want 
to  act  intelligently.  Therefore  I  wish  it  dis- 
tinctly understood  that,  for  my  part,  I  am  entitled 
to  know,  and  not  to  be  told  that  if  I  ask  too 
many  questions  I  may  be  invited  to  leave  the 
room. 

Judge  Smith  :  I  did  not  invite  any  one  to  leave  the 
room. 

Mr.  Taylor:  Mr.  Chairman,  I  also  desire  to  say 
that  I  fail  to  realize  any  sense  of  the  spirit  of 
hostility  in  the  inquiries  which  we  have  made, 
believing  them  to  be  right  under  the  circum- 
stances; therefore  I  disclaim  for  myself  any 
hostility  toward  either  the  Board  of  Directors 
or  any  member  of  the  Board,  or  anybody  as- 
sisting it;  but  the  purpose  of  this  inquiry,  as 
has  already  been  stated  by  Dr.  Crowell,  is  that 
we  may  intelligently  understand  the  situation. 
As  I  said  before,  we  are  ready  to  listen. 

Mr.  McLellan:  Judge  Smith  is  ready  to  make  the 
statement  which  I  have  asked  him  to  make. 

Judge  Smith:  Much  of  what  I  have  to  say  relates  to 
the  letter  to  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  I  assume  for 
that  reason  she  has  not  been  invited  to  be  here. 
What  I  have  to  say  relates  also  to  some  twenty- 
five  in  number,  who,  until  lately,  have  been  the 
practitioners  with  offices  in  the  church  edifice 
of  the  branch  church  in  question.  The  proceed- 
ings were  not,  however,  taken  against  any  of 
those  persons;  we  are  not  proceeding  against 
them,  and  I  have  no  object  to  make  any  accusa- 
tions against  all  or  any  of  them,  but  wish  to 
communicate  to  the  individuals  present  some- 
thing of  what  has  been  developed  in  this  inquiry. 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy         41 

(**  Conference  "  in  Boston,  September  24,  1909, 
from  stenographic  report.) 

The  essential  points  to  be  kept  in  mind  as  to  the 
foregoing  "Conference' '  are  that  it  occurred  on  September 
24,  between  the  hours  of  three  and  five  p.m.,  ^^^  McLeiian 
and  that  the  Directors  stated  that  the  inquiry        states  no 

1    •  1        T->  1  complaint 

was  not  based  on  a  complaint  to  the  Board.         pending 
(From  stenographic  notes.)  "^"'"steuon 

Mr.  Taylor:  The  present  inquiry  was  started  two 
weeks  ago.  Was  that  based  on  a  complaint 
made  to  the  Board? 

Mr.  McLellan:    No. 

Charges 

They  also  stated  that  the  charges  pre-  against  her 
viously  brought  against  Mrs.  Stetson  had  ^"t^ssed 
been  dismissed  by  them.  August  3 

Mr.  Taylor:  I  understand  that  this  investigation 
started  two  weeks  ago.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  the 
charges  to  which  you  refer  of  some  two  months 
ago  were  dismissed,  Mr.  McLellan?  Is  not 
that  a  fact? 

Mr.  McLellan  :    Yes,  that  is  a  fact. 

Mr.  Taylor:  As  I  understand  it,  all  of  the  Trustees 
have  been  called  here  except  one.  Am  I  right 
in  that? 

Mr.  McLellan:    Yes. 

Mr.  Taylor  :  And  your  reason  for  that,  that  one  being 
Augusta  E.  Stetson? 

Judge  Smith:  I  wish  to  raise  a  point  there.  This 
inquiry  has  been  instituted  under  a  certain 
section  of  the  By-Laws  and  not  against  any 
person. 


42        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Nevertheless,  on  the  very  next  day  after  this  "Con- 
ference," namely,  on  September  25,  1909,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Directors  adjourned  from  the  24th,  the 
disciplined      "Findings  and  Orders"  against  Mrs.  Augusta 
Sept  25  with- E_  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  were  officially  and  for- 

out  admoni-  . 

tions  or  mally  promulgated,  accusing  her,  a  member 
and  Trustee  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Sci- 
entist, New  York  City,  of  seven  distinct  disciplinary 
offenses,  revoking  her  license  to  teach  and  removing 
her  card  as  teacher  and  practitioner  from  The  Christian 
Science  Journal. 

The  character  of  the  investigation  by  the  Directors 
Disclosures  of  The  Mothcr  Church  as  brought  out  at 
ei,c'e^"°or  the  "Conference"  of  September  24,  1909, 
Sept.  24         disclosed  the  following : 

1.  That  twenty-five  members  of  First  Church  of 
Christ,   Scientist,   New  York  City,  who  were  practi- 
tioners, had  been  summoned  to  the  Directors' 

oMFkst'  "^    Room  at  The  Mother  Church  as  conferees 
Church         ]-,^^  were  examined  separately  in  the  presence 

examined 

of  the  Directors;  Judge  Smith,  First  Reader 
of  The  Mother  Church,  conducting  the  investigation 
under  their  direction.  A  copy  of  the  stenographic 
notes  then  taken  was  refused  to  those  practitioners 
who  requested  a  copy  of  the  record  of  his  or  her  exam- 
ination. 

2.  That  during  this  so-called  investigation  of  two 
weeks'  duration,  upon  request  of  the  Directors  of  The 

Mother  Church,  the  First  Reader  of  First 
Rerders'  Church,  Ncw  York  City,  Virgil  O.  Strickler, 
present.  No    ^^g  present  much  if  not  all  the  time;  but 

Trustees  -^ 

invited  no    Trastcc    of   First    Church,    New   York, 

or  apprised      ^^^  ^^^^  invitcd  or  apprised  of  what  was 

going  on. 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy  43 

3.  From  the  nature  of  the  testimony  given  it  was 
deemed  proper  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  at  the  end  of 
the  investigation,  to  call  certain  members  of 

the  New  York  Board  of  Trustees  into  their  Trustees 
presence  informally,  to  make  a  statement  investigation 
to  them  of  what  was  said  to  have  been  de-  ^^^  «°'^^'* 
veloped  in  the  investigation. 

4.  That  this  investigation  centered  upon  certain 
expressions  or  words  alleged  to  have  been  used  within 
the  preceding  nine  months  or  less,  by  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson  to  a  group  of  advanced  use  of  words 
Christian  Science  practitioners,  her  students,  sions  ques- 
mainly  at  their  noonday  devotional  meetings  *'<"'** 
in  the  New  York  church. 

5.  That  Judge  Smith  was  greatly  surprised  that 
any  considerable  portion  of  the  witnesses,  simUarity 
who  had  been  taught  by  the  same  teacher  ®*  answers 
for  several  years,  "gave  the  same  answer  to  a  certain 
question." 

6.  That  the  so-called  examination  of  these  twenty- 
five  practitioners  seemed  to  be  an  effort  to  prove  that 
Mrs.   Augusta   E.   Stetson,    C.S.D.,   in   her 

,  .    .  ,  EfiEorts  to 

talks  to  her  students  at  the  practitioners  prove  alleged 
meetings,  used  certain  words  and  expressions  motives 
alleged  to  be  contrary  to  Christian  Science. 

7.  That  although  the  alleged  expressions  of  Mrs. 
Stetson's  were  not  regarded  by  Judge  Smith  as  having 
any  force,  and  even  though  Mr.  McLellan 
referred  to  them  as  an  occasion  of  amusement  ances  by 
to  him;  nevertheless,  the  Board  of  Directors,  ^'"ridlelud 
the  very  next  day  after  making  these  state- 
ments to  the  Trustees,  formally  issued  the  "Findings 
and  Orders"  attempting  to  deprive  Mrs.  Stetson,  a 
Trustee  of  the  New  York  church,  of  her  status  as  a 


44        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

practitioner   and    teacher,    because    of    these   alleged 
utterances. 

8.  That  the  refusal  of  some  of  these  twenty-five 
practitioners  to  answer  only  yes  or  no  to  certain  com- 
plex questions  (which  as  appears  later  did 

some  to  an-    Hot  truthfully  admit   of  a  single  alternate 
swer  complex  a^swer)  was  construcd  by  the  investigator 

questions  ^      '  ■'  " 

as  highly  culpable  demeanor. 

9.  That   the   particular   By-Law   of  The   Mother 
Church  Manual  under  which  this  investigation  was 

conducted,  was  declared  by  Mr.  McLellan 
XII.,  Sects,  and  Judge  Smith  to  be  Article  XII.,  Section 
Mlnui'°*      ^'   entitled  "Misteaching,"  and  reading  as 

observed?        folloWSI 


If  a  member  of  this  Church  is  found  trying  to  practise 
or  to  teach  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement 
thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key 
TO  THE  Scriptures,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  to  admonish  that  member  according  to  Article 
XI,  Sect.  4.  Then,  if  said  member  persists  in  this  offense, 
his  or  her  name  shall  be  dropped  from  the  roll  of  this  Church. 

The  above  section,  which  is  one  of  the  only  two 
sections  in  the  Church  By-Laws  relating  to  teachers, 
comes  under  "Discipline"  and  requires  the  Board  of 
Directors  to  admonish  an  offending  member  according 
to  due  form  of  law  prescribed  in  Article  XL,  Section  4, 
which  reads  as  follows: 

Preliminary  Requirement.  Sect.  4.  No  church  disci- 
pline shall  ensue  until  the  requirements  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  in  Matthew,  18:  15-17,  have  been  strictly 
obeyed,  unless  a  By-Law  governing  the  case  provides  for 
immediate  action. 


Beginnings  of  the  Controversy  45 

We  quote  in  full  the  scriptural  passage  referred  to: 

Moreover  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go 
and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone:  if  he 
shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother. 

But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or 
two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every 
word  may  be  established. 

And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
church:  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto 
thee  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  publican  (Matt,  xviii.,  15-17) . 

On  the  day  following  the  Boston  "Conference," 
discipline  of  Mrs.  Stetson  ensued  without  trial  and 
without  admonition  having  been  administered,  and 
in  disregard,  as  it  seems  to  us,  of  the  provision  in  the 
section  on  "  Misteaching "  under  which,  according  to 
the  Directors'  own  statement,  they  had  conducted  the 
proceeding. 

By  their  own  account,  therefore,  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors, without  any  notice  to  the  Trustees  of  the  New 
York  church  summoned  twenty-five    mem- 
bers of  this  branch  church  to  their  presencCj^^^j^^J'^^J^^® 
at  Boston  and  conducted  an  inquiry  for  two        Directors 

<         .  ,     .  ,  r    j^i         T->  1        riava.de    branch 

weeks  mvolvmg  a  member  01  the  Board  01  church  rights? 
Trustees  of  the  New  York  church.  In 
doing  so,  we  believe  they  invaded  the  rights  of  a  branch 
church.  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York 
City,  in  direct  violation  of  the  Manual  of  The  Mother 
Church,  Article  XXIII.,  Section  10,  which  reads  as 
follows : 

No  Interference.  Sect.  10.  A  member  of  The  Mother 
Church  may  be  a  member  of  one  branch  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  or  of  one  Christian  Science  society  holding  pubHc 
services,  but  he  shall  not  be  a  member  of  both  a  branch 


46        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

church  and  a  society;  neither  shall  he  exercise  supervision 
or  control  over  any  other  church.  In  Christian  Science 
each  branch  church  shall  be  distinctly  democratic  in  its 
government,  and  no  individual,  and  no  other  church  shall 
interfere  with  its  affairs. 


CHAPTER  V 

DECISION  OF  TRUSTEES  AFTER  BOSTON 
CONFERENCE 

After  the  Boston  "Conference  "  of  September  24,  the 
New  York  Trustees  were  unanimous  in  beHeving  that 
it  was  their  duty  to  make  an  inquiry  as  to 
the   alleged   conditions   in   the    New   York      ^°i"''J*'f 

°  New  York 

church,  and  to  make  it  thorough  and  com-        Trustees 
prehensive,  for  the  following  reasons: 

1.  Most  of  the  information  given  at  the  Boston 
"Conference"  impressed  the  Trustees  as  be-  statements 
ine  quite  at  variance  with  what  they  knew    seemed  con- 

°     ^  .  trary  to  facts 

to  be   the  facts  regarding  certam  members 

of    First   Church,   of   whom  they  had  had  intimate 

personal  knowledge  for  many  years. 

2.  They  were  further  impressed  with  the  advisabil- 
ity of  such  an  inquiry  by  the  fact,  which  then  for  the 
first  time  became  known  to  them,  that  during  ^^^  ^^^^ 
the  summer  between  July  24,  and  September    Reader  dis- 

.    H  <  1        -r-<-  T-%         1  J?  obeys  Manual 

24,  Virgil  O.  Stnckler,  the  First  Reader  ot 
this  branch  church,  in  utter  disregard  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  New  York  church,  had  been  in  repeated 
conference  with  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother 
Church,  or  their  representatives,  during  which  period 
he  carried  complaints  as  to  members  of  this  local 
church  to  The  Mother  Church  in  direct  violation  of 

47 


48        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

the  Manual  oj  The  Mother  Church  (Art.  XI.,  Sect.  13) 
which  reads: 

Members  of  Branch  Churches.  Sect.  13.  A  member  of 
both  The  Mother  Church  and  a  branch  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  or  a  Reader,  shall  not  report  nor  send  notices  to 
The  Mother  Church,  or  to  the  Pastor  Emeritus,  of  errors 
of  the  members  of  their  local  church;  but  they  shall  strive 
to  overcome  these  errors.  Each  church  shall  separately 
and  independently  discipline  its  own  members, — if  this 
sad  necessity  occurs. 

These  reports  were  there  received  and  considered 
by  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  even  though 
the  foregoing  By-Law  included  in  our  judgment  the 
obHgation  on  their  part  not  to  receive  such  reports. 

3.  The  issuance  of  the  "Findings  and  Orders"  of 
the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  attempting  to 

depose   Mrs.   Augusta   E.    Stetson,   C.S.D., 

"Findings  ^  ,  ^      ^  .    .  .  ' 

and  Orders"  as  tcacncr  and  practitioner,  concerned  the 
Trule  of  ^^w  York  Board  of  Trustees  officially,  be- 
New  York  cause  of  her  membership  on  that  Board. 
These  "Orders"  likewise  affected  the  mem- 
bership of  this  branch  church  as  a  whole;  although 
they  were  directed  only  against  that  particular  member, 
who  had  always  justly  been  held  in  the  highest  affection 
and  esteem  among  them. 

4.  Finally,  there  was  a  metaphysical  reason  for  an 
inquiry  into  the  local  situation.     The  question,  what 

is  the  true  teaching  of  Science  and  Healthy 
questions  of  had  to  bc  answcrcd  both  with  respect  to 
teaching        what    the   teaching   had   been    under    Mrs. 

involved  ^ 

Stetson  s  instruction,  and  also  whether  or 
not  that  instruction  involved  a  departure  from  the 
essential  teachings  and   practices   authorized   by   the 


Trustees'  Decision  after  Conference     49 

writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  the  Founder  and  head 
of  the  Christian  Science  Church.  The  question  must 
be  met  and  answered  as  to  whether  or  not  the  funda- 
mental principle  of  Protestantism,  known  as  the  right 
of  individual  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures,  also  the 
correlative  right  of  interpreting  the  denominational 
writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  elucidating  the  Scrip- 
tures, shall  be  the  rule  of  the  Church. 

The  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  in 
our  judgment,  is  not  and  it  cannot  be  the  source 
of  ultimate  authority  in  interpretation  and 

n-vi  •         •  J-  1   •  "J.  Spiritual 

teachings.  Ihe  criterion  01  teaching  is  to  understand- 
be  found  in  the  spiritual  understanding  of     >ng  the  true 

^  °  criterion 

the  teacher,  within  the  limits  of  the  Leader's 
written  exposition  of  Truth,  and  the  individual  spiritual 
interpretation  of  the  Christian  Science  textbook  and 
the  other  writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

The  interpretation  and  definition  of  Christian  Science 
must  not  be  dependent  upon  the  dictation  of  any  five 
men  who  at  any  time  might  compose  a  self -perpetuating 
Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  nor  can  the 
aspirations  of  the  Founder  and  Leader  of  Christian 
Science,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  be  defeated  by  the  passing 
of  the  scepter  of  authority  from  the  spiritual  to  the 
material.  Christian  Science  as  promulgated  by  its 
Discoverer  and  Founder,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  has  come 
to  the  world  as  a  permanent  dispensation. 


CHAPTER  VI 

FINDINGS  AND  ORDERS  OF  SEPTEMBER  25,  1909 

Within  forty-eight  hours  after  the  Boston  "Confer- 
ence," the  New  York  Board  of  Trustees  began  prepara- 
tions for  an  immediate  inquiry  into  the  alleged 

Immediate  .    .  .         ,       .  ,  ,  ^,  ,   f 

inquiry  by      conditions  m  the  local  church.     The  subject 
Trnltees*^      came   formally   before   them  on   September 
into  alleged     26,   IQOQ,  in  the  following  letter  from  Mrs. 
Stetson,  addressed  to  the  acting  Clerk: 

7  West  96TH  St.,  New  York, 
September  26,  1909. 

Dr.  John  Franklin  Crowell, 
Acting  Clerk, 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 
Dear  Dr.   Crowell: — 

To-day  I  received  a  letter  signed  "J.  V.  Dittemore, 
Secretary,"  containing  enclosures  which  purport  to  be 
Mrs  stetson  copies  of  findings  and  orders  by  the  Board  of 
herself  re-      Dircctors  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scien- 

Quests  inquiry  ^-^^^  -^  BostOU,   MaSS. 

As  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  I  request  that  you 
call  a  meeting  of  that  Board  at  the  earliest  possible  time, 
in  order  that  the  documents  referred  to  may  be  laid  before 
the  Board  for  such  action  as  may  be  proper. 

Faithfully  yours, 
(Signed)     Augusta  E.  Stetson. 
50 


Findings  and  Orders  of  Sept.  25,  1909    51 

This  request  was  complied  with,  and  a  meeting  of 
the  Board  was  held  on  October  i,  1909.  The  First 
and  Second  Readers  were  present,  in  addition  to  every 
member  of  the  Board  excepting  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stet- 
son, C.S.D.  At  that  meeting  the  following  letter  and 
enclosures  mentioned  were  laid  before  the  Board  of 
Trustees: 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
Central  Park  West  and  96TH  Street, 
September  28,  1909. 

To  the  Board  of  Trustees, 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City: 

I  hand  you  herewith  a  letter,  and  the  enclosures  therein 
referred  to,  dated  Boston,  Mass.,  Sept.  25,  1909,  and  pur- 
porting to  be  written  on  behalf  of  the  Christian  jj^.^^  stetson's 
Science  Board  of  Directors.     About  six  weeks  letter  of 

ago  I  was  advised  by  those  Directors  that  a  ®^*'  ^^'  ^'°' 
charge  then  pending  against  me  had  been  dismissed.  Since 
which  time  I  have  had  no  direct  communication  from  them, 
until  the  documents  herewith  handed  you  were  received 
by  registered  mail  on  Sunday  morning,  Sept.  26,  1909.  I 
immediately  requested  that  a  meeting  of  our  Board  be 
called  to  hear  these  documents  read,  and  to  take  such 
action  as  may  be  proper.  As  the  matter  affects  me  indi- 
vidually, in  a  way  that  may  make  my  presence  undesirable, 
if  not  improper,  I  am  absenting  myself  from  the  meeting. 

I  rest  in  the  firm  conviction  that  our  Father- Mother 
God  will  guide  your  every  action — even  that  divine  Mind 
which  is  now  manifested  in  glory  in  our  beloved  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  through  whom  I  became  acquainted 
with  her  God — Life,  Truth,  and  Love.  This  God  I  have 
endeavored  to  present  and  to  represent  to  you,  even  as  I 
have  heard  and  seen  while  following  my  forever  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

Let  nothing  separate  you  from  divine  Principle  or  from 


52        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

your  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  who  will  bring  us  all  into 
the  kingdom  of  our  God  and  His  Christ;  "But  every  man 
in  his  own  order:  Christ  the  firstfruits;  afterward  they 
that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming"  (i  Cor.  15:23). 

(Signed)      Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 

The  enclosures  referred  to  in  the  above  letter  were 
(i)  a  letter  dated  September  25,  1909,  addressed  to 
Mrs.  Stetson  by  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary  of  the 
Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors,  and  (2)  a  copy 
of  the  "Findings  and  Orders"  of  said  Board  of  Directors, 
dated  September  25,  1909.  The  letter  referred  to  read 
as  follows: 

Enclosure  (i) 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 
Office  of  the 

Secretary 

September  25,  1909. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 

7  West  96th  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Mrs.  Stetson: — By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
I  am  sending  you  herewith  a  copy  of  the  Findings  and 
Orders  concerning  yourself  this  day  made  by  them. 

The  copy  of  their  action  is  sent  you  in  order  to  inform 
you  thereof  and  in  order  to  admonish  you  concerning  errors 
on  your  part  therein  pointed  out. 

The  Board  directs  me  to  express  the  hope  that  you  will 
accept  this  admonition  and  desist  from  a  repetition  of  the 
errors  which  they  have  pointed  out. 

Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore, 
Secretary  for  THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE 
BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 


Findings  and  Orders  of  Sept.  25,  1909    53 

The  "Findings  and  Orders"  referred  to  as  enclosed 
in  the  foregoing  communication  were  unsigned  and 
unauthenticated  by  any  form  of  certification  Directors' 
as  to  genuineness.     They  read  as  follows:  !'^'"J*''*^ 

°  •'  and  Orders " 

of  Sept.  35 

Enclosure  (2) 

Saturday,  Sept.  25,  1909. 

The  Board  of  Directors  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  met  pursuant  to  their  adjourn- 
ment of  yesterday.     Present;  all  of  the  Directors. 

The  Directors  took  up  and  considered  the  case  of  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  a  member  of  this  church  and  an  author- 
ized teacher  of  Christian  Science,  as  presented  by  her 
statements  recently  made  before  the  Directors  and  the 
testimony  of  twenty-five  witnesses  whose  examination  was 
concluded  yesterday;  namely, 
Richard  P.  Verrall  Mrs.  A.  Aikman 

Miss  Marion  Stephens  Hayne  Davis 

Arnold  Blome  Harry  Fink 

Miss  Sarah  Hathaway  Miss  Margaret  Duncan 

Miss  Jessie  Col  ton  Miss  A.  E.  Ensworth 

Mrs.  Kate  Remer  Miss  Ida  Pope 

Mrs.  Margaret  Beecher  White  Arthur  Overbury 
Mrs.  Mary  Freshman  Miss  Mary  E.  Pearson 

Mrs.  Amelia  Rowbotham  Mrs.  Anna  Holden 

Steuart  C.  Rowbotham  Mrs.  Letitia  Greene 

Miss  Ella  Young  Miss  Mary  Pinney 

Miss  Sibyl  Huse  Mrs.  Catherine  B. Gillpatrick 

V.  0.  Strickler 

After  having  carefully  considered  the  evidence,  the 
Directors  decided  and  unanimously  agreed  as  follows: 

I.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  teaches  her  students,  or  those 
with  whom  she  has  been  holding  daily  meetings,  that  the 
branch  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  of  which  she  is  seven 

a  member,  is  the  only  legitimate  Christian  Science  Findings 
church  in  New  York  City ;  and  she  teaches  her  students,  or 


54        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

said  group  of  students,  not  to  regard  the  other  branches 
of  The  Mother  Church  which  are  in  that  city  as  Christian 
Science  churches. 

2.  That  a  considerable  number  of  the  witnesses 
whose  testimony  the  Directors  have  heard,  exhibit  as 
Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  an  erroneous  sense  of  Christian 
Science,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  application  of 
Christian  Science  to  human  needs  and  conditions;  the 
witnesses  whom  the  Directors  have  heard  being  with  one 
exception  her  students,  and  being  a  select  body  of  stu- 
dents chosen  by  her,  or  a  board  of  which  she  was  a  member, 
to  be  representative  practitioners  of  Christian  Science. 

3.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  endeavors  to  exercise  a  control 
over  her  students  which  tends  to  hinder  their  moral  and 
spiritual  growth. 

4.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  endeavors  to  obtrude  herself 
upon  the  attention  of  her  students  in  such  manner  as  to 
turn  their  attention  away  from  divine  Principle. 

5.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  practises  and  teaches  pretended 
Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement  thereof  in 
"Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,"  parti- 
cularly by  treating  persons  without  their  request  or  consent, 
and  by  teaching  a  select  body  of  her  students  to  do  likewise. 

6.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  attempts  to  control  and  to  injure 
persons  by  mental  means;  this  being  utterly  contrary  to 
the  teachings  of  Christian  Science. 

7.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  has  so  strayed  from  the  right  way 
as  not  to  be  fit  for  the  work  of  a  teacher  of  Christian  Science. 

After  having  considered  these  facts  in  view  of  the  By- 
Laws  of  this  Church  applicable  to  them,  the  Directors 
unanimously  determined  and  ordered  as  follows: 
Directors  re-  ^-  That  the  Card  of  Mrs.  Stetson  be  removed 
move  Mrs.  from  the  Christian  Science  Journal,  and  that  the 
fro^m^/Lma"  Trustccs  of  the  Publishing  Society  be  directed 
and  forbid  not  to  advcrtisc  her  as  a  teacher  or  prac- 
titioner of  Christian  Science  without  first 
obtaining   the   approval  of  the  Directors. 


Findings  and  Orders  of  Sept.  25,  1909    55 

2.  That  Mrs.  Stetson's  license  or  authority  to  teach 
Christian  Science  be  and  it  hereby  is  revoked,  and  that 
she  be  and  hereby  is  forbidden  to  undertake  the 
work  of  a  teacher  of  Christian  Science  until  her  fitness 
for  such  work  shall  have  been  proved  and  decided  accord- 
ing to  Article  XII.,  Sect,  i,  of  the  By-laws  of  this  Church. 

3.  That  in  order  to  inform  Mrs.  Stetson  of  the  action 
now  taken  by  the  Directors  and  to  admonish  her  concerning 
the  things  now  pointed  out  by  them,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Board  shall  send  to  her  by  registered  mail  a  copy  of  these 
findings  and  orders. 


CHAPTER  VII 

NATURE  AND  SCOPE  OF  THE  INQUIRY  BY  THE 
NEW  YORK  TRUSTEES 

With  these  documents  before  the  Trustees,  the  situ- 
ation called  for  prompt  official  action.  To  have 
Sixteen  acccptcd  without  question  any  of  the  con- 

practitioners  clusions  amvcd  at  by  an  outside  inquiry, 
involving  the  veracity  and  the  metaphysical 
understanding  of  several  of  their  own  church  members, 
including  a  member  of  their  own  Board,  would  have 
been  an  unthinkable  shirking  of  their  duty  as  Trustees. 

The  question,  therefore,  no  longer  was  whether  or 
not  there  should  be  an  inquiry,  but  by  what  method  it 
should  be  conducted.  The  members  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  were  men  and  women  occupied  with  their 
private  pursuits  and  duties.  Nevertheless  it  was 
regarded  as  a  call  to  official  duty  that  the  inquiry 
should  be  immediately  undertaken,  and  that  the  Board, 
as  a  whole,  with  the  exception  of  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
C.S.D.,  should  assume  responsibility  for  prosecuting 
it  to  a  conclusion. 

The  scope  of  the  inquiry  was  primarily  determined 
by  the  communications  and  documents  already  before 
it.  It  was  deemed  neither  pertinent  nor 
in  general  ^^  ncccssary  to  extend  an  investigation  to  the 
held  in  high-  membership  of  the  church  as  a  whole,  of 
whom  words  of  the  highest  praise  had  been 
spoken  by  at  least  three  of  the  members  of  The  Mother 

56 


Nature  of  Trustees*  Inquiry  57 

Church  Board  of  Directors.  The  following  extract  from 
the  stenographic  record  of  the  Boston  "  Conference  "  is 
a  sufficient  indication  of  the  estimation  in  which  the 
membership  of  this  branch  church  was  then  held : 

Mr.  McLellan:  .  .  .  The  statement  is  often  made  in 
my  hearing,  and  I  have  made  the  statement  myself, 
I  think,  that  the  body  of  people  in  First  Church, 
New  York,  have  been  referred  to  many  times  as 
the  finest  lot  of  people  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  I 
think  the  rest  of  the  Directors  will  bear  me  out  in 
this,  that  this  is  the  feeling  they  have  had. 

Mr.  Stewart:  I  think  I  have  made  that  same  statement 
myself. 

Mr.  Knapp  :    We  all  agree  to  that,  I  am  sure. 

Naturally,  the  scope  of  inquiry  under  these  circum- 
stances centered  in  the  testimony  of  practitioners  who 
were  most  familiar  with  the  teachings  and  practices 
called  into  question.  The  inquiry  included  the  per- 
sons mentioned  in  the  "Findings  and  Orders"  given 
above,  all  of  whom  had  been  called  to  Boston  to  give 
testimony  on  local  church  matters  to  The  Mother 
Church  Directors. 

In  the  hope  of  avoiding  the  possible  necessity  of 
duplicating  the  Boston  testimony  in  the  Trustees' 
inquiry,  and  having  had  the  assurance  expressed  by 
The  Mother  Church  Directors  of  a  desire  on  their  part 
for  a  closer  understanding,  it  was  decided  to  formally 
renew  the  request  made  at  the  Boston  "Conference"  for 
a  copy  of  the  testimony  taken  during  the  two  weeks' 
hearing  there,  at  which  twenty-five  members  of  the 
local  church  were  questioned. 

With  this  end  in  view,  the  following  letter  (i)  was 
addressed,  and  the  succeeding  reply  (2)  was  received: 


58        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Letter  (i) 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
I  West  96TH  Street,  October  i,  1909. 

The  Chairman  of  The  Board  of  Directors, 
The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Gentlemen: — On  Friday  last,  when  six  of  this  Board  of 
Trustees  had  the  pleasure,  upon  your  invitation,  of  meeting 
New  York       ^^^  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church 
Trustees  ask   informally  in  Boston,  it  transpired  that  a  great 
monies  at^ '"  ^^^^  ^^  testimony  had  been  taken  from  some 
hearings  in     twenty-five  of  the  practitioners  who  had  been 
*'^**"*  associated  with  this  branch  church.     This  testi- 

mony, as  outlined  by  Judge  Smith,  appeared  to  be  of 
a  serious  nature;  but  as  a  bare  outline  of  only  some  of 
the  testimonies  was  given  by  him,  you  will  recall  that  a 
request  was  then  made  for  a  copy  of  all  the  testimonies. 
Judge  Smith  said  he  would  rather  not  let  it  be  given  out 
until  further  action  was  determined  upon.  Since  then, 
action  has  been  taken  by  your  Board,  involving  one  who 
is  not  only  a  member  of  this  branch  church,  but  a  member 
of  this  Board  of  Trustees.  Therefore,  having  in  view  our 
duty  in  the  premises  to  properly  consider  this  matter,  we 
now  make  request  that  this  Board  be  promptly  furnished 
with  copies  of  the  examination  of  and  testimony  given  (in 
any  manner)  by  each  and  every  member  of  this  church 
who  was  called  upon  to  appear  before  the  Directors  in  the 
investigation  relating  to  "the  teachings  and  practices  in 
First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,"  or  in 
any  manner  relating  to  the  teachings  and  practices  of  any 
of  its  members. 

In  view  of  your  recent  assurance  that  it  is  your  desire, 
as  it  is  surely  ours,  to  come  into  closer  understanding  with 
each  other,  we  feel  no  doubt  but  that  you  will  see  the  wisdom 
and  justice  of  granting  this,  under  the  circumstances, 
most  reasonable  request. 


Nature  of  Trustees'  Inquiry  59 

Judge  Smith  said  on  Friday  last,  "Let  the  present  occa- 
sion be  taken  as  an  overture  made  on  the  part  of  the  Direc- 
tors of  The  Mother  Church  towards  the  branch  church  in 
New  York  City.  Let  nothing  in  the  way  of  formahty,  or 
form,  or  anything  of  that  sort,  interfere  with  the  endeavor 
to  come  into  closer  understanding."  Anticipating,  there- 
fore, an  early  and  favorable  response,  we  are, 
Sincerely  yours, 

The  Board  of  Trustees  of 
First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 
By  (Signed)  E.  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman. 

John  D.  Higgins,  Clerk. 

The  foregoing  request  was  not  granted,  as  is  shown 
by  the  reply  of  October  4,  which  reads  as  follows: 

Reply  (2) 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 
Office  of  the 

Secretary 

October  4,  1909. 
The  Board  of  Trustees  of  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  of  New  York  City, 
I  West  96th  Street,  New  York  City. 
Gentlemen: — We  are  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  ist 
inst.,  and  regret  the  attitude  which  it  reveals.     Your  letter 
seems  to  indicate  that  you  think  you  have  no  duty  to 
perform  unless  it  be  to  review  and  pass  upon  the  action  of 
this  Board. 

You  have  been  informed  of  certain  irregular  practices 
of  members  in  your  church,  disclosed  by  an  ^j^^^  Mother 
investigation  conducted  by  this  Board,  and  these  church  Direc- 

!■      .  .  ,1  ,  tors  decline 

same  tacts  are  as  open  to  you  as  they  were  to  request 

us;  moreover,  the  lamentable  conditions  which 

exist  and  which  have  existed  for  a  long  time  are  within  the 


6o       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

personal  knowledge  of  the  Chairman  of  your  Board,  the  two 
Readers,  who  are  ex  officio  members  thereof,  and  many- 
other  persons  whom  we  did  not  summon.  What  you 
should  do  is  to  obtain  the  testimony  of  these  people  and 
do  your  duty.  Under  the  circumstances  this  Board  calls 
upon  you  to  wake  up  to  the  seriousness  of  the  situation, 
make  your  own  investigation  and  act  without  fear  or 
favor. 

Very  respectfully, 
THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS, 
By  (Signed)         J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

Further  correspondence  with  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors, during  our  Inquiry  follows: 

Letter  (3) 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
Oct.  21,  1909. 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass, 

Dear  Sirs: — ^The  committee  of  inquiry,  appointed  by 
the  board  of  trustees  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  city,  to  inquire  into  conditions,  teachings,  and 
practices  in  said  church,  has  before  it  certain  evidence  to 
the  effect  that  members  of  this  church  have  sent  you 
complaints  or  notices  regarding  errors  alleged  to  have  been 
manifested  by  members  of  this  church. 

The  committee  of  inquiry  requests  that  you  will  forward 
to  me,  as  its  chairman,  the  names  of  members  of  this  church 
who  have  done  this,  and  also  the  nature  of  the  errors  com- 
plained of.  Unless  there  be  some  reason  why  this  would  be 
improper,  the  committee  would  like  to  have  the  letters 
themselves,  or  copies,  and  at  your  earliest  convenience, 
in  order  to  expedite  the  inquiry  now  in  progress. 
Very  truly  yours, 

E.  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman. 

^  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  170. 


Nature  of  Trustees'  Inquiry  6i 

Reply  (4) 

Boston,  Mass.,  Oct.  23,  1909. 

Mr.  E.  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman,  Board  of  Inquiry, 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 

Dear  Sir: —  'We  do  not  know  of  any  complaints  or  notices 
from  members  of  your  church,  such  as  are  described  in  your 
letter  dated  Oct.  21 ;  the  evidence  received  during 
the  inquiry  recently  held  by  this  Board  was  given    deny  knowi- 
orally.     Since    then    we    have    received    many  ^^^^  °* 

letters  from  members  of  your  church,  but  none 
of  them  could  properly  be  called  complaints,  and  the  most  of 
them  only  express  the  writer's  satisfaction  at  the  prospect  of 
a  house-cleaning  in  your  church. 

The  absence  of  such  complaints  need  not,  however, 
hamper  your  inquiry;  there  are  plenty  of  witnesses,  both 
within  and  without  the  present  membership  of  your  church, 
who  can  furnish  the  evidence  for  which  your  committee 
is  seeking,  or  ought  to  be  seeking.  Their  names  should  be 
known  to  you  by  reason  of  your  presence  for  many  years 
in  the  inner  circle  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  students.  And  if  your 
committee  would  permit  the  First  Reader  of  your  church 
to  take  part  in  the  inquiry,  as  provided  by  Article  III., 
Sections  7  and  8,  of  the  Manual,  he  is  able  and  willing  to 
furnish  the  names  of  witnesses,  and  to  aid  in  obtaining  their 
testimony,  unless  your  committee  has  resolved  itself  into 
a  committee  solely  for  the  defense  of  Mrs. 
Stetson.  The  fact  that  your  committee  has  ^uestL" 
excluded  Mr.  Strickler  from  this  function,  and  good  faith 
the  fact  that  your  committee  has  appointed  in  °^  ^or^^^li^ 
his  stead  a  person  whose  card  has  been  removed 
from  The  Christian  Science  Journal,  and  to  whom  this 
Board  recently  gave  an  admonition  that  is  as  yet  unheeded, 
■ — these  facts  are  circumstances  tending  strongly  to  impeach 
the  good  faith  of  the  inquiry  now  being  conducted  by  your 

*  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  171. 


62       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

committee.  Nor  do  these  facts  stand  alone;  for  instance, 
when  the  persons  who  now  constitute  a  majority  of  your 
committee  were  in  our  room  in  The  Mother  Church  on 
Sept.  24,  1909,  and  we  were  inviting  them  to  Hsten  to  a 
statement  of  the  conditions  disclosed  by  our  investigation, 
their  sole  purpose  appeared  to  be  the  defense  of  their 
teacher,  whom  their  spokesman  referred  to  as  "the  teacher." 

During  the  recent  inquiry  held  by  this  Board,  it  was 
put  in  evidence  that  you  had  on  three  different  occasions 
spoken  to  Mr.  Strickler  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  practice  in  regard 
to  treating  persons  without  their  consent,  as  being  contrary 
to  the  teachings  of  Christian  Science.  According  to  the 
entries  in  his  diary,  you  had  a  conversation  with  him  on 
Feb.  13,  1909,  in  which  you  referred  to  her  practice  in  this 
respect  as  "shocking;"  you  also  said  to  him,  on 
referred  to  March  22,  1909,  whilc  referring  to  the  audible 
the  power  of  treatments  which  she  gave  in  the  "practitioners 
thought-force  meetings"  held  in  your  church,  edifice,  that  it 
as  a  shock  to  fairly  made  you  tremble  to  hear  her  make  those 
mind"™^"  attacks  against  persons;  and  on  March  26,  1909, 
you  showed  him  extracts  from  the  writings  of 
our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  to  prove  that  Mrs.  Stetson's  practice 
was  contrary  to  Mrs.  Eddy's  teachings.  ^  If  these  statements 
are  true — and  we  have  not  heard  them  denied — your  position 
as  the  writer  of  the  letter  now  before  us  is  quite  anomalous. 

The  membership  of  your  church  includes  a  large  number 
of  splendid  people,  and  we  hope  that  your  committee  will 
not  subordinate  their  interests  and  the  actual  interests  of 
all  parties  concerned  to  a  "mere  personal  attachment" 
(Church  Manual,  Article  VIII.,  Section  i). 

Sincerely  yours, 
THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS, 
John  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

^" The  inaudible  voice  of  Truth  is,  to  the  human  mind,  'as  when  a 
lion  roareth.'  ...  It  arouses  the  '  seven  thunders  '  of  evil,  and 
stirs  their  latent  forces  to  utter  the  full  diapason  of  secret  tones." 
Science  and  Health,  page  559. 


Nature  of  Trustees'  Inquiry  63 

Letter  (5) 

New  York,  N.  Y,,  Oct.  29,  1909. 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Dear  Sirs  and  Brethren: — ^The  gravity  of  the  situation 
produced  by  your  letter  of  Oct.  23,  together  with  other 
occurrences,  has  made  any  reply  impossible  until  the  com- 
mittee of  inquiry  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New- 
York  City,  could  give  such  consideration  to  the  conditions 
thus  created  as  their  importance  demanded. 

The  board  of  trustees  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City,  can  alone  speak  officially  for  this  branch 
church,  but  this  committee  of  inquiry  seems  to  have  a  duty 
in  this  matter  while  still  engaged  in  the  performance  of  the 
duties  imposed  by  the  By-Laws  of  The  Mother  Church,  and 
of  this  branch  church,  in  view  of  the  authority  vested  in 
this  committee  by  the  resolution  which  created  it. 

This  committee  regards  as  fimdamental  the  following  facts : 

1.  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  is  The  Mother  Church,  and  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  is  a  loyal  branch  of 
The  Mother  Church. 

2.  Different  jurisdictions  are  granted  to  The  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  and  to  the 
several  branch  churches  of  Christ,  Scientist;  committee 
these  jurisdictions  being  defined  in  the  Church  of  inquiry- 
Manual  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  '*^  position 
of  Boston,  Mass.,  in  connection  with  the  laws  of  the  several 
states. 

3.  The  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  and 
the  boards  of  trustees  of  branch  churches,  have  distinctive 
duties.  Among  these  duties  are  the  enforcement  of  church 
by-laws  within  their  respective  jurisdictions,  and  the  scru- 
pulous respect  for  the  rights  of  each  other. 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  pages  190,  191. 


64       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

4.  The  fulfilment  of  these  duties  includes  not  only  the 
full  and  fearless  administration  of  just  discipline  within 
their  respective  jurisdictions  by  each  of  said  constituted 
authorities,  but  also  non-interference  with  the  other  in  the 
performance  of  its  duty. 

5.  This  duty  of  non-interference  extends  not  only  to 
the  boards  of  The  Mother  Church  and  of  the  branch 
churches  in  their  official  capacities,  but  to  each  and  every 
member  of  said  boards. 

6.  Furthermore,  the  textbook  of  Christian  Science, 
"Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures"  by 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  Discoverer  and  Founder  of  Christian 
Science,  imposes  permanently  upon  all  persons  concerned 
the  duty  of  realizing  and  declaring  that  every  one 
charged  with  a  duty  in  the  conduct  of  the  church's  busi- 
ness, and  in  the  administration  of  its  by-laws,  is  an  indi- 
vidual manifestation  or  reflection  of  the  divine  Mind,  and 
is  governed  by  that  Mind. 

The  daily  papers  have  been  conspicuous  in  the  publica- 
tion of  erroneous  reports  tending  to  mislead  the  uninformed 
regarding  the  proceedings  of  this  committee,  and  the  pur- 
pose and  outcome  of  this  inquiry  now  in  progress  under  the 
authority  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  this  branch  church. 
These  reports  were  manifestly  the  work  of  enemies  of 
Christian  Science,  and  they  were  properly  answered  by  the 
publication  of  this  committee's  announcement  of  Oct.  18, 
copy  of  which  was  sent  you  in  our  letter  of  the  21st  instant. 

Notwithstanding  the  facts  above  set  forth,  your  letters 
continue  to  charge  this  committee,  as  they  previously 
charged  the  board  of  trustees  of  this  branch  church,  with 
not  knowing  and  not  doing  and  not  intending  to  do  its 
duty  under  the  conditions  which  now  exist. 

The  facts  are,  that  the  board  of  trustees  of  this  branch 
church  instituted  this  inquiry  as  soon  as  possible  after 
being  informed  of  the  conditions  alleged  to  exist  among  its 
members,  and  that  this  committee  has  not  ceased  since  its 


Nature  of  Trustees'  Inquiry  65 

appointment  to  devote  itself  to  the  duties  thus  imposed 
upon  it. 

According  to  our  understanding  of  Christian  Science 
there  is  only  one  Mind,  and  this  Mind  is  manifested  in  and 
through  all  that  really  exists.  To  acknowledge  any  other 
mind  as  existent  or  as  operating,  is  to  deny  the  fundamental 
spiritual  fact  declared  and  emphasized  in  our  beloved 
Leader's  writings,  and  constituting  the  comer-stone  of  all 
Christian  Science  churches. 

In  the  name  of  Christian  Science,  this  committee  takes 
this  occasion  to  call  upon  you,  and  each  of  your  members  to 
know  that  every  one  connected  with  this  inquiry, 

■'  -1       J '         statement 

or  with  the  constituted  authority  of  this  branch  of  Principle 
church,  is  a  reflection  of  and  is  subject  only  to 
the  one  infinite  Mind,  and  is  faithfully  fulfilling  the  action 
which  this  fact  makes  possible  and  imperative  under  the 
operation  of  divine  Principle,  which  our  beloved  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  has  once  for  all  discovered,  effectually 
declared,  and  continues  to  demonstrate  for  the  salvation 
of  the  whole  world  from  sin,  sickness,  and  death. 

Error  cannot  separate  this  branch  church  from  The 
Mother  Church,  any  more  than  error  can  separate  man 
from  God,  idea  from  Principle.     In  the  assurance  of  this 
fact,   and  of  power,  under  our  beloved  Leader's  divine 
guidance,  to  know  and  do  our  duty,  we  remain, 
Faithfully  in  truth. 
The  Committee  of  Inquiry  of 
First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 
E.  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman. 
John  Franklin  Crowell,  Secretary. 

Reply  (6) 

Boston,  Mass.,  Nov.  3,  1909. 
The  Committee  of  Inquiry  of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  City. 
Beloved  Brethren: — ^"Your  letter  dated  Oct.  29  is  before  us. 
'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  191. 
s 


66       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

With  respect  to  your  protest  against  what  you  call  interfer- 
ence on  our  part,  we  beg  to  say  that  the  jurisdiction  of 
this  Board  extends  to  every  matter  affecting 
claim  plenary  the  Causc  of  Christian  Science  as  a  whole, 
—entire—       Also,  that  this  Board  may  deal  with  such  matters 

jurisdiction         ,.  ,  . 

directly,  or  take  them  up  with  the  officers  of 
branch  churches,  according  to  the  exigency  of  each  case,  and 
in  accordance  with  the  by-laws  of  this  church.  The  relation 
between  The  Mother  Church  and  its  branches  necessarily 
gives  to  this  Board  such  supervision  over  the  branches  as 
may  be  necessary  to  preserve  the  purity  and  integrity  of 
the  Christian  religion  which  it  represents. 

We  must,  in  Christian  fellowship,  call  your  attention  to 
the  fact  that  your  concept  of  Christian  Science  as  expressed 

in  your  letter  is  erroneous,  and  of  itself  shows 
to  consider  ^^®  difficulty  under  which  you  are  laboring, 
the  issues  Your  Statement  that  you  call  upon  the  members 
uai"tandpoint  °^  ^^^^  Board  "  to  kuow  that  every  one  connected 

with  this  inquiry,  or  with  the  constituted  author- 
ity of  this  branch  church,  is  a  reflection  of  and  is  subject 
only  to  the  one  infinite  Mind,  and  is  faithfully  fulfilling  the 
action  which  this  fact  makes  possible,"  etc.,  etc.,  is  nothing 
more  nor  less  than  a  claim  on  your  part  that  mortals  are 
the  reflection  of  infinite  Mind.  Of  such  a  claim  Mrs.  Eddy 
writes,  on  page  572  of  Science  and  Health,  "In  Science  we 
are  children  of  God;  but  whatever  is  of  material  sense,  or 
mortal,  belongs  not  to  His  children,  for  materiality  is  the 
inverted  image  of  spirituality;"  and  again,  on  page  27  of 
"No  and  Yes,"  "Mortal  man  is  the  antipode  of  immortal 
man,  and  the  two  should  not  be  confounded."  The  logical 
effect  of  your  demand  is  to  require  us  to  attribute  to  you, 
as  mortals,  the  infallibility  of  divine  Mind.  ^ 

*  In  this  statement  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors  show  that 
they  considered  themselves  and  others  as  mortals.  The  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  New  York  church  adhered  strictly  to  the  teachings  of 
Mary  Baker  Eddy  that  man  is  immortal.  The  Trustees  understood 
that  the  claim  of  materiality  or  mortal  so-called  man  is  the  false  image 


Nature  of  Trustees'  Inquiry  67 

Finally,  brethren,  we  assure  you  of  our  hope  that  you 
do  know  and  will  do  your  duty;  but  this  will  be  disclosed 
by  your  report;  for,  as  Christ  Jesus  said,  "By  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them." 

Very  sincerely, 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

John  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

To  determine  whether  the  position  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  or  that  of  the  New  York  Trustees  in  the 
letters  of  October  29  and  November  3  was 

^  '-'  Directors' 

the  correct  one,  read  what  our  beloved  Leader  position  in- 
says  in  regard  to  the  premise  from  which  with  i°ead/r°s 
Christian  Scientists  should  work,   viz.,   im-        '^"e""  o"* 

man's  immor- 

mortality  which  destroys  mortality.  taiity 

INSTRUCTION  BY  MRS.  EDDY. 

We  are  glad  to  have  the  privilege  of  publishing  an  extract 
from  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  from  a  Christian  Scientist  in 
the  West,  and  Mrs.  Eddy's  reply  thereto.  The  issue  raised 
is  an  important  one  and  one  upon  which  there  should  be 
absolute  and  correct  teaching.  Christian  Scientists  are 
fortunate  to  receive  instruction  from  their  Leader  on  this 
point.     The  question  and  Mrs.  Eddy's  reply  follow. 

"  Last  evening  I  was  catechized  by  a  Christian  Science 
practitioner  because  I  referred  to  myself  as  an  immortal 
idea  of  the  one  divine  Mind.  The  practitioner  said  that 
my  statement  was  wrong,  because  I  still  lived  in  my  flesh. 
I  replied  that  I  did  not  live  in  my  flesh,  that  my  flesh  lived 
or  died  according  to  the  beliefs  I  entertained  about  it; 
but  that,  after  coming  to  the  light  of  Truth,  I  had  found 

of  spirituality,  therefore  no  image — a  myth.  They  did  not  confound 
mortal  and  immortal  man.  They  recognized  the  immortal  individu- 
ality of  every  one  as  the  only  man. 


68       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

that  I  lived  and  moved  and  had  my  being  in  God,  and  to 
obey  Christ  was  not  to  know  as  real  the  beliefs  of  an  earthly 
mortal.  Please  give  the  truth  in  the  Sentinel,  so  that  all 
may  know  it." 

Mrs.  Eddy's  Reply. 

You  are  scientifically  correct  in  your  statement  about 
yourself.  You  can  never  demonstrate  spirituality  until 
you  declare  yourself  to  be  immortal  and  understand  that 
you  are  so.  Christian.  Science  is  absolute;  it  is  neither 
behind  the  point  of  perfection  nor  advancing  toward  it;  it 
is  at  this  point  and  must  be  practised  therefrom.  Unless 
you  fully  perceive  that  you  are  the  child  of  God,  hence 
perfect,  you  have  no  Principle  to  demonstrate  and  no  rule 
for  its  demonstration.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  mortals 
are  the  children  of  God, — far  from  it.  In  practising  Chris- 
tian Science  you  must  state  its  Principle  correctly,  or  you 
forfeit  your  ability  to  demonstrate  it. 

Mary  Baker  Eddy. 
Christian  Science  Sentinel,  September  3,  1910. 


CHAPTER    VIII 

WHY  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  INQUIRY  WAS 
FORMED 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Inquiry  by  the  New  York 
Trustees,  both  Readers,  as  well  as  Mrs,  Stetson,  recog- 
nized the  propriety  of  not  sitting  with  the 
Board  which  was  conducting  these  hearings,  were^exdude" 
Both  Readers  had   been  material  witnesses    fro™  serving 

,  „     ^  on  Committee 

at  Boston,  and  were  to  be  called  to  testify 
as  to  the  alleged  conditions  which  it  was  proposed 
to  investigate.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  both 
Readers  had  expressed  the  propriety  of  their  not  sitting 
with  the  Board  during  the  Inquiry  and  also  their 
willingness  to  absent  themselves,  under  the  circum- 
stances, from  the  meetings  of  the  Board  at  these 
hearings,  nevertheless  as  soon  as  the  hearings  had 
begun,  by  the  calling  of  witnesses  for  instruction  and 
announcement  of  arrangement,  Mr.  Strickler  (First 
Reader)  protested  in  writing  against  the  Board's 
proceeding  with  the  Inquiry  in  the  absence  from  the 
meetings  of  both  Readers. 

In  order  to  get  the  benefit,  at  the  outset,  of  all  that 
Mr.  Strickler  might  have  to  say,  he  was  called  as  the 
first  witness  on  Tuesday,  October  12,  1909.  Notwith- 
standing the  protest  which  he  had  made,  Mr.  Strickler 
appeared  before  the  Board  and  began  to  give  his  testi- 
mony.    Before  the  meeting  of  the  following  day,  and 

69 


70       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

before  the  conclusion  of  Mr.  Strickler's  testimony,  a 
second  written  protest  was  made  by  him  against  the 
further  progress  of  this  Inquiry  without  the  presence  of 
both  Readers  at  these  hearings  held  by  the  Board. 

In  order  that  there  might  be  no  doubt  whatever  as  to 
the  regularity  of  the  proceedings  it  was  deemed  best 
to  call  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  consider 
this  matter.  Such  a  meeting  was  held  on  October  14, 
all  the  members  of  the  Board  except  Mrs.  Stetson  being 
present.  Mr.  Strickler  and  Miss  Young  were  also 
present.  Thereupon  the  Board  of  Trustees  appointed 
a  Committee  of  Inquiry  composed  of  all  the  members  of 
the  Board  excepting  Mrs.  Stetson.  The  Committee 
thus  appointed  was  composed  of  the  following  persons: 

Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman, 
John  Franklin  Crowe!  1,  Secretary^ 
Mrs.  Suzanne  S.  Thomas, 
Mrs.  Isabelle  C.  Dam, 
Joseph  B.  Whitney, 
Adolph  Rusch, 

William  H.  Taylor, 
John  D.  Higgins. 

Something  should  here  be  said  regarding  the  legality, 
as  well  as  the  propriety  of  this  course.     As  to  the  pro- 
priety, the  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
pnfp^ri^^of     were  unanimous  in  desiring  to  conduct  the 
Committee  of  Inquiry  so  as  to  procure  all  testimony  that 

Inquiry  ,  ^  ,         ^  .  -      .    -  .      , 

would  lead  to  a  just  and  nghteous  judgment. 
The  course  pursued  accomplished  this  purpose.  Mrs. 
Stetson  and  Mr.  Strickler  were  both  fully  heard  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Inquiry.  The  Committee  then  had 
the  benefit  of  all  of  Mr.  Strickler's  testimony  before 
proceeding  with  examination  of  the  other  witnesses. 


Why  Committee  of  Inquiry  was  Formed  71 

As  to  the  legality ;  the  by-laws  of  this  branch  church 
vested  in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  in  the  First  Reader, 
coordinate  rights  (Article  XL,  Section  i)  in  the  admin- 
istration of  the  church  discipline.  Either  the  First 
Reader  or  the  Board  of  Trustees  might  initiate  action 
with  a  view  to  discipline.  Mr.  Strickler  had  been  in 
possession  for  many  months  of  the  chief  allegations 
upon  which  this  Inquiry  was  initiated  by  the  Board 
of  Trustees  on  October  i,  which  was  only  a  few  days 
after  certain  members  of  the  Board  were  informed  of  the 
things  complained  of.  Having  initiated  the  action,  the 
Board  of  Trustees  had  the  right  to  prosecute  the  Inquiry 
according  to  its  judgment. 

Mr.  Strickler  did  not,  as  was  his  duty,  bring  the 
alleged  conditions  to  the  attention  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  this  branch  church  at  any  time,  ^.    „    ,   . 

-'  First  Reader's 

although  he   attended  many  of  their  meet-   dereliction  of 
ings  prior  to  the  time  when  the  Directors  of  "*^ 

The  Mother  Church  began  the  investigation  per- 
taining to  the  branch  church  without  any  notifi- 
cation to  its  Trustees.  Indeed,  Mr.  Strickler  never 
brought  the  matter  to  the  attention  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  officially.  It  came  before  the  Board  by 
Mrs.  Stetson's  initiative,  taken  September  26,  the  day  she 
received  the  letter  above  referred  to  from  the  Secretary 
of  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors,  of  Boston. 
The  New  York  Trustees  were  criticized  by  Clifford 
P.  Smith,  the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church,  for 
not  employing  the  First  Reader  of  the  local  j^.^  uaiified 
church    as    counsel    in    this    Inquiry.     The    from  serving 

I-  it'  iii"  ii''  as  Commit- 

reasons  tor  not  doing  so  and  also  tor  declining   tee's  counsel 
to  permit  either  the  First  or  Second  Reader 
of  the  New  York  church  to  become  members  of  the 
Committee  of  Inquiry  were  as  follows : 


^2,       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

1.  The  recently  ascertained  fact  that  Mr.  Strickler 
had  for  months  been  secretly  compiling  hostile  criti- 
cisms toward  Mrs.  Stetson  and  some  of  the  practitioners 
who  assembled  in  their  noonday  meetings. 

2.  Because,  during  the  two  weeks'  investigation  at 
Boston,  Mr.  Strickler  had  been  an  important  if  not  the 
chief  witness,  furnishing  the  substance  of  the  material 
on  which  that  investigation  was  based. 

3.  According  to  his  own  evidence  Mr.  Strickler,  on 
July  24,  1909,  took  the  initiative  that  resulted  in  his 
subsequent  activity  in  connection  with  the  investiga- 
tion conducted  at  Boston  as  to  alleged  conditions  in  the 
New  York  church. 

In  view  of  these  circumstances,  no  impartial  inquiry 
could  have  been  conducted  with  Mr.  Strickler  as  counsel. 

For  the  same  reasons,  it  was  not  considered  possible 
to  conduct  a  fair  inquiry  with  him  present  at  the  hearings 
for  the  examination  of  witnesses  against  most  of  whom 
he  had  previously  taken  an  antagonistic  attitude  at  the 
Boston  investigation.  To  have  employed  him  as 
counsel  the  Trustees  believed  would  have  vitiated  the 
independence  of  the  Inquiry  and  discredited  the  sin- 
cerity of  the  Board. 

Finally,  Mr.  Strickler  had  failed  to  present  to  the 
Board  of  Trustees  the  letter  of  August  4,  1909,  sent  to 
him  as  First  Reader  by  the  Directors  of  The  Mother 
Church  notifying  him  that  the  charges  against  Mrs. 
Stetson  had  been  dismissed,  and  the  entire  matter 
referred  to  this  branch  church  as  the  proper  place  for 
investigation  according  to  The  Mother  Church  Manual, 
Article  XI.,  Section  13,  reading  as  follows: 

Members  of  Branch  Churches,  Sect.  13.  A  member 
of  both  The  Mother  Church  and  a  branch  Church  of  Christ, 


Why  Committee  of  Inquiry  was  Formed  73 

Scientist,  or  a  Reader,  shall  not  report  nor  send  notices  to 
The  Mother  Church,  or  to  the  Pastor  Emeritus,  of  errors 
of  the  members  of  their  local  church;  but  they  shall  strive 
to  overcome  these  errors.  Each  church  shall  separately 
and  independently  discipline  its  own  members, — if  this  sad 
necessity  occurs. 

We  have  always  regarded  the  failure  on  the  First 
Reader's  part  to  comply  with  the  request  of  The  Mother 
Church  Directors  and  follow  out  the  direc- 
tions of  this  By-Law  of  The  Mother  Church,  consequences 
as  being  largely  responsible  for  this  contro-  °*  °®*=**' 
versy.  Seldom  has  a  single  neglect  of  duty 
been  fraught  with  such  lamentable  consequences  as 
firose  out  of  this  instance  of  the  failure  of  a  church 
official  to  cooperate,  according  to  the  plain  letter  of  the 
law,  with  his  coordinate  authorities. 

The  letter  from  The  Mother  Church  Directors  to  Mr. 
Strickler,  of  August  4,  was  as  follows: 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 

Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 

Boston,  Mass. 


Office  of  the 
Secretary 


August  4,  1909. 


Mr.  Virgil  O.  Strickler,  First  Reader, 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
I  West  96th  St.,  New  York  City. 
Dear  Mr.  Strickler : 

Enclosed  herewith  please  find  copy  of  a  letter  just  writ- 
ten by  this  Board  to  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  a 
member  of  the  church  of  which  you  are  First  Reader. 


74       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

You  are  respectfully  referred  to  Sect.  7,  of  Article  III., 
of  the  By-laws  of  The  Mother  Church. 
Very  sincerely, 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors. 

By  (Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  Sx,  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 

August  4,  1909. 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D., 
7  West  96th  St., 

New  York,  N.Y. 
Dear  Mrs.  Stetson: — Because  of  the  concluding  portion 
of  Section  13  of  Article  XL,  of  the  By-laws  of  The  Mother 
Church,  the  charges  against  you  recently  filed  with  this 
Board  have  been  dismissed,  and  the  entire  matter  is  now 
left  with  the  branch  church  of  which  you  are  a  member. 
Sincerely  yours, 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

By  (Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

Section  7  of  Article  III.  of  the  By-Laws  of  The 
Mother  Church  to  which  the  letter  of  August  4  refers 
reads : 

Enforcement  of  By-Laws.  Sect.  7.  It  shall  be  the 
duty  of  every  member  of  The  Mother  Church,  who  is  a 
First  Reader  in  a  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  to  enforce  the 
discipline  and  by-laws  of  the  church  in  which  he  is  Reader. 

The  by-laws  of  this  branch  church,  enforcement  of 
which  is  enjoined  upon  the  First  Reader  by  the  above 
First  Reader  By-Law  of  The  Mothcr  Church  Manual, 
and  Trustees  placed  the  duty  of  discipline  upon  the  First 

had  joint  au-     _,^  .  .  .  •    ^       l^  -m  ^        e 

thority  under  Reader,  m  conjunction  with  the  ijoard  or 
by-laws  Trustees.  See  Article  XL,  Section  i,  of 
local  church  by-laws,  entitled  "Discipline:" 


Why  Committee  of  Inquiry  was  Formed  75 

Any  member  of  this  Church,  who  in  the  judgment  of  the 
First  Reader  or  of  the  Trustees,  is  disloyal  or  disobedient  to 
the  principles  of  Christian  Science,  the  Pastor  Emeritus 
of  The  Mother  Church,  the  First  Reader  of  this  Church,  his 
or  her  loyal  teacher,  or  the  Constitution  and  By-laws  of  this 
Church,  shall  be  admonished  by  the  First  Reader,  and  if 
refractory,  shall  be  called  before  the  Board  of  Trustees  for 
further  admonition.  Failing  to  manifest  a  proper  spirit  of 
repentance,  his  or  her  name  may,  at  the  request  of  the  First 
Reader,  be  dropped  from  the  Roll  of  Church  membership 
by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  or  said  member  may  be  suspended 
from  membership  for  such  period  as  may  be  determined 
upon  by  the  First  Reader  and  the  Board  of  Trustees.  .  .  . 

It  is  well  to  note  here  that  Mr.  Strickler's  reply  to 
the  letter  of  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church, 
dated  August  4,  was  as  follows: 

August  6,  1909. 
Mr.  J.  V.  DiTTEMORE,  Secretary, 
Board  of  Directors, 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — I  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of 
your  favor  of  August  4th,  and  to  say  that  if  any  charges 
are  preferred  they  will  receive  due  and  prompt  attention. 
Yours  sincerely, 
(Signed)  Virgil  O.  Strickler,  First  Reader. 

The  Second  Reader,  Miss  Ella  G.  Young,  had  also 
taken  part  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church,  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
Trustees  of  First  Church,  and  had  there  been  a  witness 
against  Mrs.  Stetson. 

For  these  reasons  the  Committee  of  Inquiry  was 
formed  as  a  special  committee,  in  the  appointment  of 
which  it  was  believed  to  be  necessary,  just,  and  proper 
not  to  include  the  First  and  Second  Readers. 


CHAPTER  IX 
REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  INQUIRY 

An  inquiry  was  undertaken  at  once  and  prosecuted 
with  the  greatest  practicable  expedition.  The  conclu- 
^    ..,,•  J     sions  arrived  at  were  presented  to  the  New 

Two  "Find-  -"^  ^ 

ings"  of  Com-  York  chuFch  at  a  special  meeting  held  on 
Sqllry"'       Novembcr   4,    1909.     They   embodied    two 

"Findings, "  one  of  which  was  voted  upon  and 
approved  by  the  church,  while  the  other  was  referred 
back  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  further  consideration 
and  subsequent  report. 

The  first  of  these  two  "Findings"  related  to  the 
teachings  and  practices  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 

C.S.D.,  and  of  the  practitioners  regularly 
vindicated  by  identified  with  the  practice  of  healing  in  the 
fhuTch"^'^       Reading   Room.     This  part  of  the   Report 

was  accepted  and  approved  by  the  church, 
and  it  stands  on  record  as  such. 

The  second  of  these  two  "Findings"  embodied  the 
Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry  so  far  as  it  related 
Second  "Find- ^^  ViTgil  O.  Stricklcr,  the  First  Reader,  and 
ing"  reported  was,    on    that    date,    referred    back    to    the 

Committee  of  Inquiry  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  for  further  consideration  and  report.  This 
latter  Report  was  prepared  for  presentation  to  a  church 

76 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     77 

meeting  which  was  specially  called  and  convened  on 
November  15,  1909. 

The  part  of  the  Report  vindicating  Mrs.  Stetson  and 
the  practitioners,  as  submitted,  accepted,  and  approved 
November  4,  1909,  was  subsequently  printed  in  pam- 
phlet form  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  church. 
The  conclusions  were  as  follows: 

REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  INQUIRY 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 

New   York   City. 

This  Committee  was  appointed  by  virtue  of  the  reso- 
lutions approved  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  at  a  meeting 
held  October  14,  1909,  all  the  members  of  the  Board 
being  present;  also  Mr.  Virgil  O.  Strickler  and  Miss 
Ella  G.  Young,  First  and  Second  Readers,  respectively, 
of  this  branch  church.  The  Committee  organized  on 
the  day  of  its  appointment,  by  electing  Mr.  Edwin 
F.  Hatfield  as  Chairman,  and  Dr.  John  Franklin 
Crowell  as  Secretary.  The  Committee  has  not  ceased 
since  that  day  to  devote  itself  to  the  duties  that  de- 
volved upon  it;  though  the  members  of  the  Committee 
were  all  preoccupied  with  their  personal  and  business 
problems,  it  was  found  possible  to  hold  two  sessions 
daily  except  Sunday.  Some  sessions  were  held  on 
Sunday,  there   being   in   all   thirty-five   ses- 

,       .  ,  .    ,  Committee 

sions,  durmg  which  over  1,000  pages  of  type-  held  thirty- 
written  testimony  were  taken.  Every  member  and  took^rooo 
of  the  Committee  was  present  at  practically  pages  of  tes- 
all    the   sessions,    except    Mrs.    Suzanne    S.  ™°°^ 

Thomas,  whose  residence  is  not  in  New  York  City,  and 
whose  family  ties  imposed  upon  her  certain  duties  of  an 
imperative  character  during  the  progress  of  the  inquiry, 


78       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

which  made  it  impossible  for  Mrs.  Thomas  to  attend 
the  sessions  regularly. 

statement  of       '^^^  Committee  is  unanimous  in  the  follow- 
f acts  deduced  ing   Statement   of  facts,   deduced   from   the 

from  evidence  „     •  i  u    £  -j. 

evidence  before  it: 

I.  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York 
First  Church  City,  is  a  loyal  branch  of  The  Mother  Church, 
'°^*'  and  is  an  organic  part  of  The  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  founded  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and 
of  which  she  is  the  perpetual  head. 

II.  Error  cannot  work  through  any  person  to  sep- 
arate this  branch  church  from  The  Mother  Church,  or 
to  separate  loyal  members  of  this  branch  church  from 
our  beloved  Leader  or  from  any  one  who  is  conquering 
error  and  manifesting  the  Christ-mind  more  and 
more. 

III.  This  branch  church  derives  its  existence  and 
also  its  rights  from  the  action  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and 
recognizes  her  as  supreme  in  spiritual  leadership. 

IV.  This  branch  church  has  grown,  in  a  little 
more  than  two  decades,  from  a  small  beginning  to  its 
present  proportions,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  a 
number  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  students,  who  were  members  at 
its  organization  or  in  the  early  days  of  its  existence, 
withdrew  from  its  membership,  and  formed  other 
branch  churches  in  this  city,  while  this  branch  church 
was  still  young  in  years,  few  in  numbers,  and  apparently 
feeble  in  power. 

V.  The  same  character  of  opposition  which  mani- 
fested itself  toward  this  church  through  those  who  with- 
drew from  its  membership  and  formed  other  branch 
churches  in  this  city,  subsequently  manifested  itself  in 
other  parts  of  the  country  and  has  widened  and  inten- 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     79 

sified  itself  up  to  this  present  time.     Proof  of  this  fact 
is  in  the  possession  of  this  branch  church. 

VI.  This  opposition  persistently  formulated  and 
assiduously  circulated  false  reports  regarding  this 
branch  church,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  and  other 
of  its  members.  This  circulation  of  falsehoods  still 
continues. 

VII.  These  reports  were  given  currency,  even  in 
Christian  Science  circles.  When  directed  against  Mrs. 
Stetson  they  included  charges  of  personal  ambition,  per- 
sonal control,  malpractice,  hypnotism,  mesmerism,  etc., 
even  to  the  extent  of  disloyalty  to  the  Cause  and  to 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  the  Discoverer  and  Founder  of 
Christian  Science,  by  entertaining  the  expectation 
of  robbing  Mrs.  Eddy  of  her  position  as  the  Leader  of 
Christian  Science.  When  directed  against  this  church, 
these  reports  were  more  vague,  but  were  of  a  corre- 
sponding character,  such  as  love  of  material  wealth 
and  power,  ambition  to  overshadow  The  Mother 
Church,  subjection  to  personal  control,  mesmerism, 
hypnotism,  etc.  These  reports  periodically  re- 
embodied  themselves  during  the  past  two  decades, 
varying  from  time  to  time,  but  never  losing  their 
false  character  of  holding  Mrs.  Stetson,  this  branch 
church,  or  some  of  its  members  in  error,  more  or  less 
grave. 

VIII.  These  false  reports  were  engendered  and 
developed  by  malicious  animal  magnetism,  which  is 
the  opposite  and  the  opponent  of  Christian 
Science,  and  they  were  circulated  by  persons  members  cir- 
who  did  not  properly  protect  themselves  "^"'^'^^g^^^tg 
against  aggressive  mental  suggestion,  as  en- 
joined by  our  beloved  Leader  in  The  Mother  Church 
Manual,  Article  VIII.,  Section  6. 


8o       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

IX.  The  widespread  circulation  of  these  unwar- 
ranted reports  throughout  the  Christian  Science  Field, 

has    kept    many    persons   away   from    this 

Field  preju-       ,  11  ,1 

diced  against  branch  church  who  would  otherwise  have 
chich*""^     come  to  its  services  and  extended  the  right 
hand  of  Christian  Science  fellowship  to  its 
members. 

X.  Loyal  to  our  beloved  Leader  and  to  the  truth 
of  being,  this  branch  church  and  its  loyal  members  have 
fought  the  good  fight  of  faith,  and  have  not  despaired 
of  the  day  when  the  members  of  this  branch  church  will 
all  be  recognized  by  their  brothers  of  other  Christian 
Science  churches,  as  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  and  as  manifesting  the  Christ-mind,  instead  of  in 
subjection  to  error  in  its  aggressive  and  hideous  forms. 

XL  It  is  the  purpose  of  this  branch  church  to  obey 
the  By-Laws  that  have  recently  been  promulgated,  also 
all  By-Laws  that  may  hereafter  be  lawfully  promul- 
gated, even  as  it  has  heretofore  obeyed  the  existing 
By-Laws,  as  understood  by  the  constituted  authorities 
of  this  branch  church. 

XII.  Although  this  inquiry  included  general  con- 
ditions prevailing  in  this  branch  church,  it  soon  became 
Noond  apparent  that  the  conditions  alleged  in  evi- 
meetings  of  dcncc  taken  were  almost  entirely  confined 
prac  oners  ^^  what  had  bccn  done  and  said  in  practi- 
tioners' meetings,  and  to  their  effect  upon  the  general 
body  of  the  church.  For  this  reason  the  hearings  were 
preeminently  occupied  with  the  part  played  by  the 
persons  directly  participating  in  these  meetings. 

XIII.  This  assemblage  of  practitioners  appears 
never  to  have  had  any  formal  authorization.  It  simply 
grew  up  out  of  the  common  desire  of  persons  similarly 
occupied  to  benefit  by  regular  association  for  mutual  im- 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     8i 

provement,  and  we  find  that  there  is  quite  general  agree- 
ment among  witnesses  as  to  what  took  place  in  these 
meetings,  but  that  there  is  a  fundamental  difference  in 
the  attitude  of  witnesses  toward  statements  made  and 
occurrences  that  took  place  at  said  meetings.  During 
the  past  year  Mrs.  Stetson  made  numerous  mental  de- 
fenses against  hostile  manifestations  toward    ^  „  ^  , 

"  Self-defense 

this  branch  church,  as  well  as  toward  herself,  against  mental 
With  regard  to  these  defenses,  practitioners  ^ser^ssion 
appear  to  have  grouped  themselves  into  two  classes. 
Nineteen  practitioners  consider  them  as  justifiable, 
defensive  declarations  in  handling  error.  Four  or  five 
now  appear  to  have  regarded  this  kind  of  defense  as 
amounting  to  malpractice  upon  persons  whose  names 
were  mentioned.  To  the  smaller  group  of  witnesses  the 
use  of  persons'  names  without  knowledge  or  consent  is 
the  distinguishing  mark  of  malpractice ;  the  larger  group 
insists  that  self-defense  against  mental  aggression  of 
known  personal  agency  is  a  legitimate  and  indispensable 
method  of  maintaining  their  position  against  mental 
assassination  and  as  efficient  practitioners  in  Christian 
Science.  The  evidence  plainly  discloses  that  Mrs. 
Stetson's  teaching  and  practice  were  clear  on  the  funda- 
mental differences  between  treatment  and  self-defense 
against  aggressive  mental  malpractice. 

XIV.  All  practitioners  agree  that  the  treatment 
of  a  person  in  whose  relations  to  them  the  aggressive 
mental  attitude  is  wanting  is  always  conditioned  upon 
the  person's  knowledge  or  consent,  and  that  unless  this 
consenting  condition  is  present,  the  attempt  is  mal- 
practice.    This  has  been  their  uniform  teaching. 

XV.  This  Committee  finds,  therefore,  that  there 
are  these  two  conceptions  extant  in  this  church  of  what 
constitutes  proper  self-defense  in  the  handling  of  error. 

6 


82        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

A  large  majority  of  the  witnesses  called  are  positive  in 
their  statements : — 

(i)  That  the  use  of  names  of  absentees  was  con- 
fined to  the  handling  of  aggressive  mental  suggestion  in 
the  effort  to  defend  this  branch  church  organization  and 
its  members  against  malpractice  from  without  its  fold. 

(2)  That  in  no  case  where  mental  aggression  was 
wanting,  were  the  names  of  persons  ever  used  by  Mrs. 
Stetson  in  handling  error  in  these  meetings.  Nor  did 
she  teach  such  uses.  On  the  contrary,  she  taught  that 
such  use  of  names  would  be  unwarranted  invasions  of 
the  mentalities  of  innocent  persons,  and  hence  mal- 
practice. Although  one  or  two  of  the  witnesses  testified 
that  the  aggressive  mental  relation  was  wrongly  as- 
sumed by  Mrs.  Stetson  to  exist,  a  majority  of  witnesses 
agreed  that  Mrs.  Stetson  had  ample  knowledge  of 
aggressive  mental  suggestions,  attacks  or  hostile  acts 
on  the  part  of  persons  where  names  were  taken  up  by 
her  in  defense  of  this  branch  church  and  of  herself.  In 
view  of  the  widespread  hostility  generally  pervading  the 
Field,  resulting  from  misrepresentations  regarding  this 
branch  church,  and  the  activity  of  disaffected  ex- 
members  of  the  church,  the  fact  of  aggressive  mental 
attitude  was  placed  beyond  dispute. 

XVI.  We  find  that  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  has 
Mrs,  stetson  not  manifested  resentment  nor  malice  toward 
did  not  show   ^        q£    ^j^g    Directors   or    officers    of    The 

malice  in  -^  ,         ,  „       . 

self-defense    Mothcr   Church  or  the  Publishing  Society, 
or  toward  any  other  person. 

XVII.  We  find  that  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  has 
manifested  in  a  marked  degree   the   divine 

Christian  love  .    .         -    ,  ^  /~m     • 

toward  ene-  lovc  cnjomcd  by  Jcsus  Christ,  and  by  our 
"^'^^  beloved  Leader,  which  loves  enemies,   prays 

for  those    that    despitefully   use   and   persecute   you 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     83 

and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for 
Christ's  sake. 

XVIII.  Personal  control,   as  alleged  in  our  hear- 
ings, appears  in  most  complaints  to  amount  to  nothing 
more  than  advice  given  against  or  in  favor  of 
courses  of  conduct,  acts  or  relations  that  were    sonai  control 
deemed  prejudicial  or  otherwise  to  the  in-  ^as  advice  or 

^       •'  _  warning 

dividual's  welfare.  The  habit  had  grown, 
upon  the  other  hand,  among  some,  of  bringing  to  Mrs. 
Stetson  such  personal  matters  as  had  no  reasonable 
ground  for  any  proper  claim  to  her  attention.  Prac- 
titioners are  repeatedly  appealed  to  for  advice  in  domes- 
tic and  business  affairs,  and  acting  on  such  advice  is 
sometimes  characterized  as  "personal  control. "  In  the 
treatment  of  patients,  such  cases  have  been  reported  as 
advising  persons  to  leave  their  employers,  on  the  ground 
that  the  relation  stood  in  the  way  of  the  person's  spirit- 
ual safety  or  of  the  patient's  recovery.  In  other  cases, 
it  was  alleged  of  some  that  they  were  not  entirely  free 
in  selecting  their  places  of  abode,  because  of  being 
warned  against  associating  with  others  who  were 
opposed  to  the  teachings  of  Christian  Science,  or  were 
known  to  be  disloyal  to  this  church.  Several  objected 
to  the  rule  which  discouraged  absences  or  lateness 
at  practitioners'  meetings  as  being  personal  control. 
There  were  a  few  complaints  at  not  feeling  free  to  visit 
other  churches  in  this  city  during  times  of  service  in  our 
own  church.  Finally,  there  was  the  allegation  that 
undue  influence  was  attempted,  although  the  allega- 
tions are  not  wholly  in  accord  with  statements  in  other 
parts  of  testimony  given. 

XIX.  Practically  all  of  the  cases  of  alleged  control 
were  not  regarded  as  objectionable  at  the  time,  but  ap- 
pear to  have  been  so  viewed  later.     The  attitude  of  the 


84        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

complainer,  in  probably  no  individual  case,  amounted 
to  an  abdication  of  personal  responsibility  by  reason 
of  any  attempt  at  control,  of  which  the  facts  are  known. 
On  the  contrary,  the  net  weight  of  evidence  is  pre- 
eminently to  the  effect  that  so-called  control  by  prac- 
titioners and  by  Mrs.  Stetson  was  welcomed  rather 
than  resisted.  To  persons  of  spiritual  discernment, 
the  intuitive  foresight  of  the  competent  practitioner, 
balanced  by  common  sense  in  regard  to  human  matters, 
has  undoubtedly  had  the  effect  in  this  church  of  develop- 
ing the  moral  fibre  and  strengthening  the  moral  force 
of  individual  character.  Instances  of  actual  personal 
control  are  comparatively  insignificant  in  proportion  to 
the  advantages  derived  from  the  mental  and  moral 
cooperation  of  practitioner  and  patient,  or  of  teacher 
and  student  in  this  church. 

XX.     This  church  has  always  borne  its  share  of  the 

burden  of   establishing   and   extending   the   Cause  of 

Christian   Science    in   this   city   and   State. 

c^usrhefore  Whatever  its  shortcomings  may  have  been  or 

Courts  and      g^j.^  j^q^   [^  j^g^g  j^qj^  sulkcd  in  its  tents  when 

Legislature 

the  enemies  of  Truth  made  attack.  It 
has  neither  been  niggard  with  its  energies  nor  its  re- 
sources in  defending  its  fellow  workers  under  prosecution 
for  exercising  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  sons  of  God 
in  the  healing  ministry.  Notably,  as  its  official  records 
show,  it  has  contributed  liberally  to  such  expensive 
prosecutions  as  the  White  Plains  case,  in  which  Mr. 
John  C.  Lathrop,  of  Second  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City,  was  the  defendant  in  one  case,  and 
John  M.  Goodwin  in  another;  also  more  recently  to 
expensive  litigation  in  a  neighboring  portion  of  New 
Jersey,  where  the  local  membership  was  ill  prepared  to 
bear  the  burden  alone. 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     85 

XXI.  This  defensive  service  extended  to  the  halls 
of  the  State  Legislature,  to  which,  whenever  occasion 
required,  men  and  women  from  among  our 

^  .  .  Field  under 

membership  were  ready  to  give  unsparing  obligation  to 
efforts  to  guarantee  to  Christian  Scientists  ^''J^^J^Y^'^fk' 
their  constitutional  rights  as  God-fearing 
citizens  of  this  state  and  nation.  The  battles  fought  in 
legislative  committees  by  representatives  of  this  branch 
church  were  fought  in  behalf  of  the  entire  Field,  because 
of  the  lead  which  this  State  has  long  taken  in  legislative 
progress  on  new  issues  such  as  are  raised  by  the  advent 
of  a  new-old  religious  power  in  the  life  of  the  people. 
Not  boastingly,  therefore,  but  rejoicing  in  the  privilege 
of  service,  has  this  branch  church  caused  public  opinion 
to  respect  its  voice  in  demanding  the  recognition  of  the 
rights  of  religious  worship  and  spiritual  workers  in 
Christian  Science. 

XXII.  In  the  relations  of  the  membership  of  this 
church  with  nearby  churches  in  Christian  Science,  the 
measure  of  fellowship,  according  to  evidence 
presented,  has  been  somewhat  limited  by  the     with  nearby 
fact  that,  to  no  inconsiderable  extent  has  the        churches 

'  lagged 

membership  of  other  local  branch  churches 
been  made  up  of  persons  who,  for  reasons  deemed 
sufficient  to  themselves,  have  withdrawn  from  this 
church.  Where  those  reasons  were  of  a  protesting 
character,  the  conditions  of  further  fellowship  were  not 
entirely  favorable  on  account  of  the  attitude  of  out- 
going members.  Finally,  there  is  no  doubt  that  es- 
trangements of  membership  from  this  church  have 
contributed  a  considerable  contingent  of  disaffected 
brethren  to  the  other  branch  churches  of  Greater  New 
York  and  vicinity.  Under  the  circumstances,  what- 
ever the  causes  may  have  been,  it  is  in  evidence  that  the 


86        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

progress  of  Christian  fellowship  was  from  this  particular 
source  not  generally  strengthened. 

XXIII.  Among  the  complaints  alleged  for  with- 
drawals of  disaffected  persons,  were  criticisms  of  teach- 
ing, undue  personal  control,  favoritism,  and  similar 
representations  of  an  unofficial  character,  which  were 
never  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  authorities  by 
any  one  willing  to  vouch  for  them  as  charges.  There  is 
probably  no  large  religious  congregation  where  similar 
conditions  are  not  constantly  present.  It  must  needs 
be  that  offenses  come,  and  where  the  standard  of  spirit- 
ual growth  and  the  requirements  of  individual  effort 
are  such  as  to  demand  little  for  self  but  much  for  the 
Cause,  there  is  apt  to  be  a  falling  away  where  faith  and 
strength  are  not  vital  enough  to  hold  the  members  in 
unity  of  purpose  and  spiritual  power. 

XXIV.  We  find,  therefore,  that  it  has  been  always 
assumed  that  every  member  of  this  branch  church  has 

had  ample  work  within  the  fold  of  its  own 

Ample  work  ^ 

for  all  within  body  to  occupy  the  attention  of  any  one 
one  old  desiring  to  grow.  For  that  reason,  occasional 
visits  to  other  church  services  were  discouraged.  Instead 
of  being  a  fault  to  discourage  fellowship  of  this  particular 
character,  general  religious  judgment  would  no  doubt 
regard  it  as  a  proof  of  fidelity  to  the  vows  of  membership. 

XXV.  In  more  particular  respects,  one  of  the  chief 
complaints  is  that  the  members  of  this  church  have  been 
^    .,.         ,  taught  that  this  is  the  only  legitimate  Chris- 

Legitimacy  of  °  ./         o 

other  branch  tian  Scicncc  ChuTch  in  New  York  City. 
The  denials  of  this  allegation  compare  with 
the  affirmations  of  it  as  about  four  to  one.  The  actual 
relations  likewise  disprove  the  truth  of  the  claim  that 
such  is  the  view  accepted  in  general  among  our  members. 
On  the  contrary,  there  could  be  no  such  measure  of  good 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     87 

will  as  actually  exists,  if  such  a  view  as  that  were 
current  in  the  members'  conception  of  relations  with 
other  churches.  The  Committee  therefore  finds  that 
any  such  allegations  affecting  church  relations  have  not 
been  sustained. 

XXVI.  In  the  testimony  taken  by  this  Committee 
a  class  of  allegations  occurs  of  a  rather  different  charac- 
ter from  those  involving  malpractice,  personal 
control,  and    relations    to    other    churches,    teaching  and 
These    allege    the    existence    of    wrongful     human  reia- 

'^  _  °  tions 

attitudes  towards  human  relations,  particu- 
larly the  marriage  relation,  the  parental  relation,  and 
the  relations  of  the  sexes  generally.  In  teaching  the 
spiritual  precepts  of  the  Christian  Scriptures,  emphasis 
has  been  laid  upon  certain  aspects  of  the  human  rela- 
tions with  a  disquieting  effect  upon  some  hearers.  But 
it  is  impossible  to  teach  Christian  Science  without  some 
such  attendant  effects.  Indeed,  the  rule  in  Christian 
Science  which  must  govern  the  efforts  of  individuals  to 
spiritualize  their  characters  and  purify  their  relations, 
requires  that  they  emerge  out  of  the  consciousness 
occupied  with  the  minding  of  the  flesh  which  leads 
to  death,  and  into  that  minding  of  the  Spirit  which 
demonstrates  Life  eternal. 

XXVII.  We  find  that  the  teachings  relating  to  the 
human  relations,  as  such  teaching  has  been  given  in 
practitioners'  meetings,  have  not  been  in  any  essential 
respect  different  from  those  presented  in  the  Chapter 
on  Marriage  in  Science  and  Health  with  Key 

to    the    Scriptures,    by  our    beloved  Leader,  human 

Mary   Baker   Eddy,  and   in   other   writings    '^'^'gp^'.^^a 
of  hers,  in  her  books  and  periodical  articles. 
There  is  no  evidence  presented  that   Mrs.   Stetson's 
teaching  to  her  classes,  in  her  public  addresses  in  the 


88        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

church,  or  in  her  associations  with  the  congregation,  has 
departed  from  Christian  Science  teachings,  nor  has 
her  influence  been  anything  other  than  an  encourage- 
ment to  the  moral  and  spiritual  improvement  of  men 
and  women  as  individuals  in  their  dutiful  relations  one 
with  another  under  rightful  human  arrangement.  And 
the  Committee  does  so  find. 

XXVIII.  The  effect  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson's 
teaching  and  example  upon  persons  who  are  now  mem- 
bers of  this  branch  church  is  proven  to  be  as 

t^achin'T°°'^^*^^^°^^*  ^^^  '^^  promote  in  a  marked  degree 
loyal  and  fruit- the  moral  and  spiritual  progress  of  the 
fuun^spirituai  jnembcrs  of  this  branch  church,  (b)  To 
free  great  numbers  of  them  from  sickness  and 
sin  to  which  they  were  in  bondage  previous  to  their 
coming  in  touch  with  her.  (c)  To  enable  many  of  them 
to  acquire  such  an  understanding  of  Christian  Science, 
such  a  love  and  loyalty  to  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and  such 
consecration  and  obedience  to  God,  divine  Principle, 
that  they  too  have  been  enabled  to  free  many  of  their 
fellow  men  from  sin  and  sickness  in  their  various  phases. 
(d)  To  secure  for  those  who  heeded  her  teaching  and 
example,  present  liberation  from  previous  personal 
contagion  or  control,  and  an  ever  increasing  exercise  of 
the  freedom  of  the  sons  of  God — those  who  realize  that 
they  are  really  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  Spirit; 
and  are  therefore  not  material,  but  spiritual;  not  mortal, 
but  immortal. 

XXIX.  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York, 
First  Church,  ^^  the  outgrowth  in  the  main  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 
New  York,      efforts  toward  the  establishment  of  the  Cause 

mainly  the         .... 

outcome  of  m  this  City,  in  cooperation  with  persons  who 
her  efforts  j^^ye  bccn  tumcd  by  her  influence  and  that 
of   her    students  into  the  path  of  Christian  Science. 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     89 

No  words  seem  more  appropriate  than  those  in  the 
two  following  letters,  one  addressed  to  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 
Stetson  personally,  for  placing  in  the  corner-stone  of 
this  building ;  the  other  addressed  to  Mrs.  Stetson,  Mr. 
Hatfield,  and  others,  when  the  labors  of  building  this 
church  edifice  were  successfully  ended,  and  the  necessity 
for  its  proper  protection  had  come: 

Pleasant  View,  Concord,  N.  H. 
To  Mrs.  A.  E.  Stetson: 

Beneath  this  corner-stone,  in  this  silent,  sacred  sanctuary 
of  earth's  sweet  songs,  pseans  of  praise  and  Leader's  two 
records  of  Omnipotence,  I  leave  my  name  with  messages 
thine  in  unity  and  love. 

(Signed)  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy. 
November  30th,  1899. 

Pleasant  View,  Concord,  N.  H., 
December  3,  1903. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  first  First  Reader;  Gentlemen, 

Edwin  F.  Hatfield,  Adolph  Rusch,  William  H.  Taylor, 

Steuart  C.  Rowbotham,  John  D.  Higgins. 

Beloved  Students: — ^Your  telegram  in  which  you  present 

to  me  the  princely  gift  of  your  magnificent  church  edifice 

in  New  York  City  is  an  unexpected  token  of  your  gratitude 

and  love.     I  deeply  appreciate  it,  profoundly  thank  you  for 

it,  and  gratefully  accept  the  spirit  of  it ;  but  I  must  decline 

to  receive  that  for  which  you  have  sacrificed  so  much,  and 

labored  so  long.     May  divine  Love  abundantly  bless  you, 

reward  you  according  to  your  works,  guide  and  guard  you 

and  your  church  through  the  depths;  and  may  you 

"Who  stood  the  storm  when  seas  were  rough. 
Ne'er  in  a  sunny  hour  fall  off. " 
Lovingly  yours  in  Christ, 

(Signed)    Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy. 

'  The  Christian  Science  Journal,  volume  xxi.,  page  587. 


90        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

In  conclusion,  your  Board  of  Trustees  desires  to 

assiire  the  congregation  that  at  all  times  the  interest  of 

this  branch  church  will  be  fully  protected, 

pie"dgerto      and  that  all  questions  which  have  arisen  in 

church's  pro-  regard  to  the  proper  practice  of  Christian 

tection  °  ,  .     ,  ,       ,  ,  -n   i       ^       11 

Science  m  this  branch  church,  will  be  nnally 
and  properly  settled,  in  accordance  with  our  beloved 
Leader's,  Mary  Baker  Eddy's,  teaching  and  practice  of 
Christian  Science,  before  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  this 
branch  church  ceases  to  take  every  possible  step  for  the 
accomplishment  of  this  end. 

(Signed)    Edwin  F.  Hatfield, 

Chairman. 

(Signed)    John  Franklin  Crowell, 

Secretary. 
For  Committee  of  Inquiry. 


The  foregoing  Report  was  submitted  by  said  Com- 
mittee to  the  Board  of  Trustees  on  the  4th  day  of 
November,  1909,  and  duly  approved  by  said  Board,  and 
ordered  presented  to  the  meeting  of  the  church  held  on 
said  November  4,  1909. 

(Signed)        Edwin  F.  Hatfield, 
Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

(Signed)        John  D.  Higgins, 

Clerk. 

The  foregoing  contained  only  that  portion  of  the 
Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry  which  related  to 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  and  the  practi- 
churchon  tioncrs,  as  both  read  and  approved  at  the 
Nov.  4. 1909  gpg^j^i  Meeting,  of  church  members  and 
regular  attendants,  held  in  the  church  edifice,  i  West 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     91 

96th  Street,  New  York  City,  on  Thursday,  November 
4,  1909,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

Certain  unscientific  statements  and  expressions, 
alleged  to  have  been  made  by  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
C.S.D.,  were  thoroughly  investigated  by  the  Committee 
of  Inquiry. 

In  some  cases  the  names  of  those  who  were  reported 
to  have  made  such  allegations  were  refused  to  the 
Committee,  But  every  witness  who  appeared  before 
the  Committee  was  closely  questioned  and  the  truth  or 
falsity  of  these  allegations  thoroughly  probed,  without 
any  evasion  whatsoever  on  the  part  of  the  Committee. 

The  result  was  that  some  of  the  statements  in  ques- 
tion were  shown,  even  by  the  witnesses  opposed  to  Mrs. 
Stetson,  never  to  have  been  made  at  all;  and  that  in 
cases  in  which  it  was  agreed  that  alleged  statements 
were  made,  it  was  proved  they  had  been  given  a  signi- 
ficance entirely  different  from  their  normal  intent  and 
connection. 

The  other  portion  of  the  Report  of  the  Committee 
of  Inquiry,  as  laid  before  the  church  at  the  meeting  of 
November  4,  1909,  and  then  referred  back  to 

.  Action  on 

the  Trustees  for  further  consideration  and  second  "Find- 
report,  dealt  primarily  with  the  action  of  *°|y  Jeld^r't 
Virgil  O.  Strickler,  First  Reader  of  the  utter  of 
church,  in  carrying  complaints  to  the  Di- 
rectors of  The  Mother  Church,  contrary  to  The 
Mother  Church  Manual.  The  Trustees  were  prepared 
to  resubmit  and  substantiate  this  portion  of  the  Report, 
at  the  meeting  called  for  November  15,  1909. 

In  this  emergency  came  a  letter  from  the  revered 
Founder  and  Leader  of  the  Christian  Science  movement, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  addressed  to  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 


92        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

This  letter  was  delivered  only  two  hours  before  the  time 
set  for  the  special  church  meeting,  when  it  was  handed 
to  Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  New  York  church,  at  his  residence,  by 
Mr.  Eugene  R.  Cox,  Publication  Committee. 
The  letter  read  as  follows: 

Brookline,  Mass.,  Nov.  13,  1909. 
To  the  Board  of  Trustees,  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  City. 
Beloved    Brethren: — 'In    consideration    of    the    present 
momentous  question  at  issue  in  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  city,  I  am  constrained  to  say,  if  I  can 
settle  this  church  difficulty  amicably  by  a  few  words,  as 
many  students  think  I  can,  I  herewith  cheerfully  subscribe 
these  words  of  love : — 

My  beloved  brethren  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  city,  I  advise  you  with  all  my  soul  to  support 
the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  and  unite  with  those 
in  your  church  who  are  supporting  The  Mother  Church 
Directors.  Abide  in  fellowship  with  and  obedience  to  The 
Mother  Church,  and  in  this  way  God  will  bless  and  prosper 
you.  This  I  know,  for  He  has  proved  it  to  me  for  forty  years 
in  succession. 

Lovingly  yours, 
(Signed)  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

The  foregoing  letter  was  first  published  in  the 
Christian  Science  Sentinel  of  November  20,  1909,  and 
"Abide  in  ^^^  republished  by  request  of  Mrs.  Eddy  in 
Truth,  in  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel  of  December  4, 
1909,  with  a  single  change — the  phrase  "in 
Truth,"  was  inserted  after  the  word  "Abide"  at  the 
beginning  of  the  next  to  the  last  sentence,  the  changed 
form  reading  as  follows:  "Abide  in  Truth,  in  fellowship 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  November  20, 1909. 


Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry     93 

with"  etc.     No  attention  was  directed  by  the  Editor 
to  the  important  words  added  by  Mrs.  Eddy. 

In  prompt  compliance  with  the  spirit  of  the  Leader's 
letter,  immediately  on  its  receipt  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  New  York  church  convened  and  decided  to 
defer  the  presentation  of  their  Report  as  to  the  First 
Reader,  and  on  their  motion,  promptly  after  the  letter 
was  read  to  the  church,  that  meeting  was  adjourned. 
Although  this  was  done  it  simply  deferred  for  future 
solution  this  and  any  other  questions  which  had  not  as 
yet  received  adjudication.  The  Board  of  Trustees  in 
their  answer  to  the  letter  of  our  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  clearly  implied  their  ex-  ^^l^'/'^^l  JJ'^t 
pectation  of  further  steps  being  taken  by  her  settle  the 
to  settle  the  questions  at  issue.  That  letter  Tn^oived 
as  it  appeared  in  the  Sentinel  of  November  2^, 
1909,  signed  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  First  Church,  was  as  follows: 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
Central  Park  West  and  96TH  Street, 

November  15,  1909. 

Mrs.  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
Brookline,  Mass. 

Beloved  Leader : — 

It  is  with  deepest  gratitude  that  we  acknowledge  and 
thank  you  for  your  earnest  letter  of  the  13th  inst.,  with  its 
words  of  love  and  benediction. 

As  at  all  times,  this  board  of  trustees  cheerfully  complies 
with  the  advice  you  give,  prompted  by  the  obedience  of  love, 
and  confidence  in  the  sure  guidance  of  the  beloved  Leader 
whom  God  has  so  highly  honored. 

Your  letter  was  read  to  our  church  at  its  meeting  to-day, 
and  all  were  blessed  with  its  happy  and  healing  influence. 

In  quiet  assurance,  we  await  any  further  leadings  that 


94        Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

your  wisdom  may  indicate,  in  view  of  the  importance  of  the 
questions  involved. 

In  unswerving  loyalty, 

Yours   faithfully, 

(Signed)      E.  F.  Hatfield, 

Chairman  of  Trustees. 

In  the  concluding  paragraph  of  the  foregoing  letter, 
reference  is  made  to  the  pending  issues  in  the  church. 
The  Trustees  said:  "In  quiet  assurance,  we  await  any 
further  leadings  that  your  wisdom  may  indicate,  in 
view  of  the  importance  of  the  questions  involved." 
It  was  expressly  stated  in  the  discussion  which  preceded 
the  formulation  of  this  letter  to  the  Leader  that  her 
letter  to  the  Board  had  not  removed  the  questions  which 
were  the  source  of  the  trouble. 

The  New  York  Trustees  then  in  ofiQce  have  never 
admitted  the  right  of  The  Mother  Church  Directors  to 
set  aside  the  constitutional  privileges  of  branch  churches 
as  defined  in  The  Mother  Church  Manual.  The  duty 
of  these  Trustees  to  defend  these  rights  and  immunities 
of  this  branch  church  were  co-equal  with  their  duty  to 
cooperate  with  The  Mother  Church  Directors, 
rights  and""  Branch  church  rights,  although  settled  in 
The  Mother    1^^  ^y  ^^g  Manual,  were  in  our  iudement 

Church  duties  jo 

Ignored,  m  fact,  by  the  acts  of  The  Mother 
Church  Directors. 


CHAPTER  X 

MRS.    STETSON'S    RESIGNATION    FROM    NEW 
YORK  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  AND  FROM 
THE  BRANCH  CHURCH 

On  October  i6,  1909,  Mrs.  Stetson  tendered  her 
resignation  as  a  member  of  the  New  York  Board  of 
Trustees  in  the  following  letter: 

7  West  96th  Street,  New  York  City, 
October  i6,  1909. 

The  Board  of  Trustees, 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 

Beloved  Brethren: — I  hand  you  herewith  copy  of  my  letter 
of  this  day  to  our  revered  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
which  is  self-explanatory.  I  hand  you  also  j^^.^  ^^^^^^^ 
my  resignation  as  a  member  of  your  Board.  resigns  as 

I  desire  to  repeat  here  what  I  said  yesterday  pjr^t^churc'h 
to  the  Committee  which  you  have  appointed 
to  make  an  investigation  regarding  conditions,  practices, 
and  teachings  in  this  church.  I  depend  upon  no  one  but 
God  and  my  Leader.  I  desire  no  human  sympathy.  I  do 
not  need  it. 

Hold  to  your  fidelity  to  God  and  to  our  Leader,  as  I 
have  taught  you,  and  follow  me  only  as  far  as  I  follow  my 
Teacher,  Mary  Baker  Eddy.  "Upon  the  rock,  Christ" 
{Science  and  Health,  p.  484),  spiritual  understanding,  I  have 
built  this  church,  with  the  aid  of  your  steadfast,  loyal  devo- 
tion to  Principle  and  to  our  dear  Leader,  "and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it." 

95 


96       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Rise  to  the  height  of  "wholly  spiritual"'  building,  and 
wait  for  the  glory  prepared  for  those  who  love  God.  My 
love  is  ever  flowing  to  you. 

Your  faithful  co-worker, 

Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 

On  the  same  day  Mrs.  Stetson  sent  to  Mrs.  Eddy 

the  following  letter: 

7  West  96th  Street,  New  York  City, 
October  16,  1909. 

My  precious  Leader,  Teacher,  and  Guide: — I  have  heard 
your  dear  voice  in  your  letter  which  appeared  in  the  Sentinel 
of  October  i6th.  I  shall  withdraw  from  personal  participa- 
tion in  my  church  management,  for  the  present. 

In  carrying  out  this  decision,  I  am  to-day  sending  in  my 
resignation  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City.  I  am  also 
notifying  the  Secretary  of  my  Students'  Association  that  I 
shall  not  attend  the  approaching  Annual  Meeting.  I  am 
requesting  the  Secretary  to  notify  my  students  that  I  desire 
them  to  assemble  as  usual,  in  accordance  with  the  By-Law, 
Article  XXVI.,  Section  6,  as  published  in  the  Sentinel  of 
October  i6th,  and  to  be  governed  thereby. 

I  shall  strictly  not  oppose  the  orders  of  the  Board  of 
„     e*  *        Directors  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scien- 

Mrs.  Stetson 

offered  no  tist,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  as  officially  communicated 
ITlhr^^       to  me  by  the  Secretary  of  that  Board  on  Septem- 

Directors'         bcr  25th,   I909. 

orders  j  ^^  apprehending  more  and  more  the  mean- 

ing of  "wholly  spiritual"  building,  which  you  enjoined  upon 
me  and  my  church  in  your  letter  in  the  Sentinel  of  January 
1 6th.  Thus  I  shall  be  able  to  draw  nearer  to  you  spirit- 
ually, and  rise  with  you  to  the  demonstration  of  im- 
mortal consciousness — my  oneness  with  infinite  Love,  "And 
I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  .  .  .  will  draw  all"  whom  the  Father 
giveth  me. 

•  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xi.,  page  390. 


Mrs.  Stetson's  Two  Resignations       97 

It  is  your  wisdom  and  love  expressed  in  your  words 

following : 

Love  looseth  thee,  and  lifteth  me, 

Ayont  hate's  thrall: 
There  Life  is  light,  and  wisdom  might, 

And  God  is  All. 

My  gratitude  and  love  for  my  precious  Leader  are  beyond 
all  that  human  language  can  express. 

Your  faithful  child, 

Augusta. 

Having  been  fully  vindicated  by  the  New  York 
church  and  following  the  instructions  given  by  her 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  to  build  "on  a  wholly  spiritual 
foundation,"  Mrs.  Stetson,  on  November  22,  1909,  sent 
the  following  letter: 

7  West  96th  Street,  New  York  City, 
November  22,  1909. 

The  Board  of  Trustees, 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 
Dear  Brethren: — You  concluded  recently  a  comprehensive 
inquiry,  and  your  report  made  my  continued  membership 
in  this  branch  church  seem  suitable  and  proper. 
Since  then  I  have  been  advised  that  my  name  i^^opped  from 

11  1  1     r  1  1  /•  11       The  Mother 

has  been   dropped  from   the  membership   roll  church  mem- 
of  The  Mother  Church.     As  this  may  place  the     ''ership  and 

resigns  in 

members  of  your  Board,  of  which  I  am  a  member.  New  York 
in  an  embarrassing  position,  I  have  decided  to 
resign  from  membership  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City,  and  I  now  request  that  my  name  be  dropped 
from  the  membership  roll.  I  shall  continue  to  make  it  my 
sole  effort  to  obey  Principle  and  to  follow  our  beloved 
Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 


98       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

In  taking  this  step,  I  desire  to  thank  the  members  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  for  all  they  have  done,  during  past  years, 
"  There  is  ^°  serve  God  and  our  Leader,  through  the  up- 
no  robbery  in  building  of  this  church.  There  is  no  robbery 
divine  Mind  "  -^  (j^yine  Mind.  Goodness  is  its  own  paymaster. 
Therefore  you  are  already  abundantly  recompensed  for 
past  services,  and  can  never  lose  the  reward  of  well 
doing. 

I  am  informed  that  some  objection  was  made,  during  the 
recent  inquiry,  to  the  continued  payment  of  the  annual 
sum  voted  to  me  in  recognition  of  my  services  to  this 
church.  Money  is  neither  useful  nor  desirable  to  me 
unless  it  comes  as  a  grateful  recognition  of  services  rendered 
to  those  from  whom  it  comes.  It  was  my  purpose,  there- 
fore, at  a  suitable  time,  to  suggest  the  discontinuance  of 
this  payment.  In  view  of  the  recent  action  by  the  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church,  it  would  seem  undesirable  that 
this  payment  be  continued;  even  though  all  the  members 
of  this  branch  church  were  united,  as  in  former  years,  in 
giving  this  proof  of  gratitude  for  what  I  have  done,  and  am 
doing  for  them  and  for  this  church. 

For  establishing  this  branch  church  more  securely  as  a 
part  of  the  Mother  Vine,  and  for  making  it  even  more 
fruitful  than  in  the  past,  greater  consecration  on  the  part 
of  all  the  members  is  necessary.  This  greater  consecration 
"Sufficient  '^^^^  t)e  manifested  in  higher  realization  and 
guide  to  demonstration  of  Truth  and  Love.  In  this  work, 
eternal  Life  "  ^^^  -g -^^^^  Scietice  and  Health,  The  Mother  Church 
Manual,  and  the  other  writings  of  our  beloved  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  are  a  "sufficient  guide  to  eternal  Life" 
{Science  and  Health,  p.  497). 

I  make  this  simple  request,  that  the  Trustees,  and  also 

the  members   of   this   church,   will   constantly  listen  for 

our    Leader's     voice,      impersonally,     through 

JJj^;^J**^°°'Mevout     prayer     and      through      the     proper 

study    of    her    writings.       Following    her    "as 

she  follows  Christ  "{Message  for  1901,  p.  70),  you  cannot 


Mrs.  Stetson's  Two  Resignations        99 

lose  the  way  to  heaven,  harmony,  eternal  oneness  with 
God. 

Faithfully  in  Truth  and  Love, 

(Signed)        Augusta  E.  Stetson. 

In  response  to  the  requests  of  Mrs.  Stetson,  the  New 
York  Trustees  at  their  meeting  of  November 
24,  1909,  reluctantly  accepted  her  resigna-  acceTi«r7 
tions  as  a  member  of  the  church  and  of  the  stetson's 
Board  of  Trustees,  and  adopted  the  following  '7eiu°tant°y 
resolution  and  expressions  of  appreciation: 

Resolved,  That  we  accept  with  unfeigned  regret,  and 
only  at  her  urgent  request,  the  resignation  of  Mrs.  Augusta 
E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  as  a  member  of  this  Board  of  Trustees. 

In  her  official  relations,  Mrs.  Stetson  has  given  us  service 
for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  the  effort  to  further  the 
Cause  of  Christian  Science  in  this  community,  unswerving 
Whoever  knows  anything  of  the  progress  of  the  loyaity  to 
movement,  in  the  period  covered  by  these  years,  ^^^  Leader 
is  aware  that,  so  far  as  this  branch  church  is  concerned,  she 
has  been  beyond  all  comparison  the  foremost  contributor 
to  the  labors  required  for  the  results  accomplished,  and 
that  the  cardinal  precept  of  her  teaching  and  example  has 
always  been,  as  it  is  now,  that  of  unswerving  loyalty  to  our 
beloved  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and  to  her  teachings. 

Both  from  the  standpoint  of  material  achievement,  as 
well  as  from  that  of  spiritual  attainment,  she  has  left  the 
evidence  of  her  untiring  devotion,  in  the  structure  which 
houses  this  congregation,  in  the  large  body  of  adherents 
which  assembles  here  regularly  for  worship,  and  above  all 
in  the  spiritual  growth  of  the  membership  of  this  church. 

But  for  the  inspiration  of  her  faith  and  the  stimulus  of 
her  high  and  earnest  purpose,  none  of  these  results  would 
have  been  attained  in  any  such  measure.  For  Blessings 
ourselves,  therefore,  as  Trustees,  we  rejoice  in  from  official 
the  work  which  she  has  done,  we  are  grateful  association 
in  that  we  have  been  permitted  to  share  the  work  with  her 


100     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

as  co-laborers,  and  we  desire  to  record  our  recognition  of 
the  great  spiritual  blessings  which  have  come  to  us  in  official 
association  with  her. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  letter  advising  Mrs. 
Stetson  that  her  name  was  dropped  from  the  member- 
ship roll  of  The  Mother  Church. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St,  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass, 
Office  of  the 

Secretary 

November  i8,  1909, 
Mrs.  Augusta  E,  Stetson 
7  West  96th  Street 
New  York,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Mrs.  Stetson: — Enclosed  you  will  find  a  copy  of  the 
judgment  and  order  made  by  the  Board  of  Directors  in 
your  case  last  night. 

Permit  us,  while  informing  you  of  this  judgment,  to 
express  the  sincere  hope  that  your  future  course  of  action 
may  show  your  desire  to  again  become  eligible  for  member- 
ship in  this  church. 

Very  sincerely, 
THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS, 
By  (Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

Enclosure 
November  17,  1909. 

After  the  evidence  in  support  and  in  defense  of  the  com- 
plaint against  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  had  been  completed 
"Judgment  ^^^  ^^^  Complainant  and  the  accused  and  her 
and  order"  couuscl  had  retired,  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
of^Nov.  17.  rpj^g  p.^g^  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts  convened  alone  for  the  final 
examination  of  the  case  presented  by  said  complaint  and 
evidence.     All  the  Directors  were  present. 


Mrs.  Stetson's  Two  Resignations      loi 

After  fully  considering  the  evidence  introduced  by  the 
respective  parties,  including  the  statements  made  by  the 
accused  in  her  own  behalf,  the  Directors  unanimously  find 
and  conclude  that  each  and  every  count  of  the  complaint 
filed  by  the  First  Reader  against  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson 
on  November  6,  1909  is  established  by  the  evidence  and  is 
substantially  true. 

Also,  that  the  filing  of  said  complaint  was  preceded  by 
admonitions  duly  given  to  Mrs.  Stetson,  in  accordance  with 
the  Scripture  in  Matthew  xviii:  15-17,  and  that  the  com- 
plaint was  filed  from  Christian  motives. 

Wherefore,  it  is  unanimously  adjudged  and  ordered  by 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  said  Church  that  the  name  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  be  and  hereby  is  dropped  from 
the  roll  of  membership  of  said  Church. 

The  truth  of  the  statement  that  said  "  complaint  was 
preceded  by  admonitions  duly  given  to  Mrs.  Stetson, 
in  accordance  with  the  Scripture  in  Matthew  xviii: 
15-17,  and  that  the  complaint  was  filed  from  Christian 
motives,"  can  be  ascertained  by  reading  the  following 
By-Law  of  The  Mother  Church  Manual,  and  Mr.  Ditte- 
more's  letter  of  September  25,  1909. 

Article  XI.  Violation  of  By-Laws.  Sect.  2.  A  mem- 
ber who  is  found  violating  any  of  the  By-Laws  or  Rules 
herein  set  forth,  shall  be  admonished  in  consonance  with 
the  Scriptural  demand  in  Matthew  18:  15-17;  and  if  he 
neglect  to  accept  such  admonition,  he  shall  be  placed  on 
probation,  or  if  he  repeat  the  offense,  his  name  shall  be 
dropped  from  the  roll  of  Church  membership. 

This  Scripture,  in  regard  to  admonition,  reads  as 

follows : 

Moreover  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go 
and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone:  if  he 
shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother. 


102     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or 
two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses 
every  word  may  be  established. 

And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
church:  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be 
unto  thee  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  publican. 

The  letter  and  spirit  of  this  By-Law  were  ignored,  no 
admonition  having  been  given  by  any  member  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church. 

Mrs.  Stetson  was  tried,  judged,  and  disciplined  by 
the  Board  of  Directors  and  Clifford  P.  Smith  without 
admonition.  The  reader  can  judge  for  himself  by 
reading  Mr.  Dittemore's  letter  whether  or  not  "  admo- 
nitions," according  to  Scriptural  injunction,  were  given 
Mrs.  Stetson.  Sentence  was  passed  upon  her  in  the 
seven  "  Findings"  for  which  the  Directors  revoked  her 
license  and  forbade  her  to  teach  or  practise  Christian 
Science.  An  infliction  of  discipline  cannot  be  miscon- 
strued as  "  admonition."  Mr.  Dittemore's  letter 
follows: 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 

Office  of  the 

Secretary 

September  25,  1909. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
7  West  96th  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Mrs.  Stetson: — By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
I  am  sending  you  herewith  a  copy  of  the  Findings  and 
Orders  concerning  yourself  this  day  made  by  them. 

The  copy  of  their  action  is  sent  you  in  order  to  inform 


Mrs.  Stetson's  Two  Resignations      103 

you  thereof  and  in  order  to  admonish  you  concerning  errors 
on  your  part  therein  pointed  out. 

The  Board  directs  me  to  express  the  hope  that  you  will 
accept  this  admonition  and  desist  from  a  repetition  of  the 
errors  which  they  have  pointed  out. 

Very  sincerely, 
(Signed)      J.  V.  Dittemore, 
Secretary  for  The  Christian  Science  Board  of 
Directors. 


CHAPTER  XI 

SECRET  OF  A  GREAT  CHURCH  WORK 

Unity  of  purpose  and  spiritual  power  had  heretofore 

been  the  characteristic  manifestations    of   the  Hfe   of 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York 

A.  C0QS6Cr&tGd 

body  of  City,  as  had  been  evident  to  those  coming 

practitioners  ^^^^^  ^-^g  range  of  its  influcncc.  Prior  to 
the  dissensions  which  began  in  the  summer  of  1909, 
there  was  probably  no  other  branch  church  in  the  de- 
nomination where  more  of  spiritual  cooperation  and 
unity  was  to  be  found.  These  qualities  prevailed 
generally  throughout  its  membership  and  in  every 
department  of  the  church's  activities;  but  its  most 
effective  expression  was  found  in  the  consecrated  body 
of  practitioners  who  devoted  their  entire  time  to 
spiritual  development  and  to  the  practice  of  Christian 
Science  Mind-healing. 

In  the  pioneering  stages  of  the  Christian  Science 
Cause,  and  at  the  request  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  Dis- 
coverer and  Founder  of  Christian  Science, 
'^wUhTne      Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  came  to  New 
accord  in       York,  and  gained  adherents  one  by  one  for 

one  place"  „  i  c  i 

the  Cause,  from  among  whom  was  formed  a 
congenial  group  of  workers  and  healers.  As  the  healing 
work  went  on,  patients  became  church  members  and 
then  practitioners,  with  their  activities  centering  at  the 
church.     Year  by  year  this  continued,  until  the  small 

104 


Secret  of  a  Great  Church  Work       105 

group  of  workers  and  worshippers  expanded  into  a 
substantial  congregation,  filled  with  the  sense  of 
strength  which  comes  from  being  in  "one  accord  in 
one  place." 

As  here  and  there  an  individual  member  of  a  family- 
embraced  the  healing  truth,  households  were  gradually 
drawn  into  the  fellowship  of  the  new  joy  of  spiritual 
dominion.  Thus  individuals  came  to  bring  in  house- 
holds, and  they  again  their  hundreds,  until  thousands 
of  the  community,  both  inside  and  out  of  the  church, 
were  blessed  by  the  Christlike  ministry  of  a  consecrated 
woman.  The  growth  in  numbers  necessitated  more 
thorough  training  and  greater  spiritual  power  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  healing  work.  Because  of  a  con- 
stantly increasing  need  of  capable  practi-  Healing  work 
tioners,  the  plan  of  treating  patients  at  the         required 

'  ^.  ^   ^  spiritual 

church  Reading  Room  naturally  became  training 
established.  In  the  changes  from  one  place  of  worship 
to  another,  treatment  of  patients  under  this  form  of 
organization  continued. 

When  the  new  church  at  96th  Street  and  Central 
Park  West  was  planned,  special  provision  was  made  for 
the  work  of  the  practitioners.  Some  twenty-five  or 
more  of  these  met  their  patients  in  separate  rooms 
utilized  for  that  purpose  in  the  church  edifice.  Practis- 
ing thus  under  the  same  roof,  the  custom  of  patients 
coming  to  the  Reading  Room  to  await  their 
turn  with  the  practitioner,  gave  rise  to  a  Church  Read- 
reception  committee  of  several  church  mem-  maintained 
bers,  each  to  serve  during  the  morning,  *  direct^ion 
afternoon,  or  evening  on  each  day  of  the 
week.  The  object  of  this  arrangement  was  to  facilitate 
the  division  of  labor  by  which  waiting  patients  could 
be  cared  for  in  the  Reading  Room,  thus  relieving  the 


io6     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

practitioners  by  allowing  them  to  be  occupied  with 
their  spiritual  work.  The  Reading  Room  of  this 
church  was  maintained  in  its  church  edifice  under 
a  written  direction'  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy  as  follows: 

Pleasant  View, 

Concord,  N.  H. 

Oct.  25,  1903. 

Mrs.  A.  E.  Stetson, 

My  beloved  Student:  I  did  not  get  your  letter  in  time 
to  reply  before  you  left  N.  Y, — to  your  question  on  selling 
my  books  down  town  in  your  city.  That  movement  would 
be  unwise  in  many  ways  and  would  not  prosper,  abandon 
such  a  thought.  You  have  fulfilled  the  By-law  in  our 
Church  relation  to  a  Reading  Room;  and  it  only  remains 
for  you  to  carry  on  your  Reading  Room  and  for  the  down 
towners  to  unite  and  have  a  Reading  Room  that  is  centrally 
located.  This  is  what  must  be  done.  I  hope  the  Teacher's 
Association  will  be  harmonious  and  my  rules  for  their  best 
interest  will  be  unitedly  adopted  and  followed. 

(Signed)     With  love  M  B  G  Eddy. 

The  Trustees  frequently,  in  their  discussions  and 
deliberations,  had  occasion  to  see  that  this  branch  of 
_     .  ,.   ,.     the  church  work  was  in  no  unnecessary  way 

Specialization  -^  -^ 

in  spiritual      cncroachcd  Upon  by  appointment  of  practi- 
^^'°^  tioners  to  other  duties.     On  the  contrary, 

the  purpose  was  guardedly  to  carry  out  the  plan  of 
spiritual  speciaHzation  by  differentiating  the  function 
of  spiritual  heaHng  from  the  more  material  duties. 
In  this  way  it  was  beHeved  that  the  most  substantial 
attainments  could  be  reached  in  the  healing  work 
which  distinguishes  this  denomination  from  all  other 
religious  bodies. 

*  This  letter  is  here  given  in  facsimile. 


Concord  N  H. 


Oct.  35,1908 


frs.  A.  E.  Stetson, 


My  beloved  Student 


I  did  not  get  your  i-trJ' 


letter  in  time  to  reply  b,efore  you  left  K,Y,-^ 


to  your  question  on  selling  my  bocks  donn  town 


in  your  city.   That  movement  would  be  unwise  in 


many  ways  and  would  not  propper,  abandon  such  a 


thougbi.   You  have  fulfilled  the  By-law  in  our 


Church  relation  to  a  Reading  Boom;  and  it  only 


remains  for  you  to  carry  on  your  Eeading  Room 

^  • 

Facsimile  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 


and  for  tlie  down  towners  to  unite  and  have  a 


Reading  Room  that  is  centrally  located*   Thie  h 


what  must  be  down.  I  hope  the  Teacher's  Associa 


tion  will  be  harmonious  and  my  rules  for  their 


best  interest  will  be  unitedly  adopted  and  foil 


lowed. 


Secret  of  a  Great  Church  Work       107 

The  presence  of  a  body  of  such  spiritually  minded 
practitioners  in  the  application  of  Truth  to  the  over- 
coming of  evil  was  regarded  as  a  most  essen- 
tial element  of  strength  in  the  influence  of  minded  prac- 
this  church  upon  the  community  at  large.       titioners  a 

'■  ^  o  great  power 

This  type  of  individual  attainment  was 
confined  to  a  group  of  regular  practitioners  of  probably 
forty  or  more  persons,  the  majority  of  whom  prac- 
tised healing  work  during  the  day  at  the  Reading 
Room,  while  others  met  their  patients  regularly  at 
their  homes  or  offices  elsewhere.  But  the  entire  group 
was  properly  regarded  as  a  imit  in  the  effort  to  deal 
with  the  difficult  problems  of  sin,  disease,  and  death 
which  were  constantly  presented. 

For  the  handling  of  their  cases  effectively,  confer- 
ence and  counsel  came  to  be  a  regularly  established 
part  of  the  daily  routine  of  the  Reading 
Room  practitioners.  From  this  arose  the  on  healing 
necessity  of  practitioners'  meetings,  at  which  ^  natural 
naturally  the  one  who  had  given  instruction 
to  nearly  all  of  the  practitioners  acted  in  a  presiding 
capacity.  Mrs.  Stetson's  relation  to  the  greater  num- 
ber of  practitioners  in  the  church  was  such  as  to  impose 
upon  her  the  duty  of  cooperating  with  and  guiding  her 
students  in  their  efforts  to  master  the  difficulties  of 
their  practice,  according  to  Article  XXVI.,  Section  2, 
of  the  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church: 

.  .  .  The  teacher  shall  hold  himself  morally  obligated  to 
promote  the  progress  of  his  pupils,  not  only  during  the 
class  term  but  after  it,  and  to  watch  well  that  ^  teacher's 
they  prove  sound  in  sentiment  and  practical  in  duty  to 

Christian  Science.  He  shall  persistently  and  students 
patiently  counsel  his  pupils  in  conformity  with  the  unerring 
wisdom  and  law  of  God,  and  shall  enjoin  them  habitually 


io8      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

to  study  the  Scriptures  and  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures. 

Although  from  the  very  beginning  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

pastorate  in  this  city  she  cooperated  with  her  students, 

nevertheless    she    insisted    constantly    that 

students  .  "^  , 

taught  reii-  they  must  work  out  their  own  salvation  to 
anceonGod  ^^^  utmost  of  their  ability  before  they  were 
entitled  to  call  for  assistance.  The  quality  of  direct 
dependence  on  divine  power  was  thus  developed  in  the 
type  of  practitioner  found  here,  conjointly  with  the 
cooperative  capacity  to  take  up  and  work  out  the  most 
difficult  problems  of  sin,  disease,  and  death  scientifically 
and  according  to  the  rules  of  Christian  Science,  or  the 
Christ  Mind-healing. 

Nothing  could  be  more  natural,  more  orderly,  or 
more  consistently  devised  to  meet  conditions  than  that 
the  practitioners  should  meet  to  work  out  the  newer 
and  more  difficult  problems  of  their  profession  under 
the  guidance  of  their  instructor.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
as  a  result  of  this  method  of  maintaining  a  high  stand- 
ard of  practising  efficiency  to  which  comparatively  few 
could  aspire,  because  of  its  exacting  demands 

High  standard  '         .  ^  ,         ^         . 

of  healing  and  sclf-sacrificing  surrender  to  the  dommat- 
efficiency  -^^  Spiritual  purposc  of  it — it  is  doubtful, 
we  say,  whether  anywhere  else  in  the  denomination  of 
Christian  Science  or  out  of  it,  there  could  be  found  a 
more  competent  and  consecrated  body  of  men  and 
women  in  dealing  with  matters  affecting  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  their  fellow  men. 

To  begin  with,  the  practitioners'  meetings  were  first 
of  all  devotional.  They  opened  with  the  reading  of 
the  current  week's  Bible  Lesson  from  the  Bible  and 
Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary 


Secret  of  a  Great  Church  Work       109 

Baker  Eddy,  as  found  in  the  Christian  Science  Quar- 
terly, and  with  silent  prayer,  which  was  followed 
ordinarily  by  the  statement  of  some  pertinent  experience 
in  practice  or  by  considering  some  particular  case  of 
healing,  as  to  the  best  method  of  handling  it.  In  other 
words,  there  was  a  mental  clinic  as  well  as  religious 
exercise  in  their  proceedings.  How  helpful  these 
meetings  were  is  borne  witness  to  by  practically  all 
who  testified  from  actual  experience. 

Yet  even  among  the  small  number  thus  privileged 
to  participate,  there  inevitably  came  to  be  some  to  whom 
the  demands  of  progressive  growth  in  spiritual  attain- 
ment made  it  necessary  either  to  check  the  rate  of 
advancement,  or  for  them  to  fall  out  of  the  ranks 
because  of  incapacity  to  go  forward. 

One  of  the  practitioners  began  early  to  cavil  at  and 
criticize  the  incisive  methods  of  handling  the  animal 
impulses,  and  apparently  forgot  that  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, especially  in  their  description  of  the  immorality 
of  Roman  life,  used  terms  which  by  contrast  made  the 
language  of  the  practitioners'  meetings  seem  moderate 
indeed.      It  was  not,  however,  so  much  the 

1      11  •  r  1  •  Incision  of 

challengmg  of  language,  as  it  was  the  burn-  spiritual  truth 
ing  incision  of  spiritual  truth  into  the  »'^°"eht  revolt 
strongholds  of  mortal  belief  that  gave  rise  to  the 
charges  against  the  character  of  these  meetings. 

The  revolt  of  carnal  nature,  like  that  which  drove 
Jonathan  Edwards  out  of  Northampton,  reasserted 
itself  to  displace  a  teacher  whose  instruction,  as  it 
progressed  from  day  to  day,  demonstrated  here  and 
there  in  one  or  another  the  unwillingness  or  the  inability 
to  keep  on  climbing  the  hill  of  divine  Science. 

The  practical  bearing  of  this  work  is  well  described 
in  an  extract  from  Mrs.  Stetson's  letter  to  the  Committee 


no     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

of   Inquiry,  dated  November  3,  1909,   in  which  she 
declares: 


For  twenty-five  years  I  have  practised  Christian  Science 
Mind-healing.  I  am  a  Christian  Science  Doctor,  with  a 
degree  of  C.S.D.  I  have  healed  all  manner  of 
explains^ need  diseases  through  understanding  the  illusion  of 
of  practi-  material  phenomena.  My  practising  students 
m°eel[ngs  ^^®  mental  metaphysicians.  I  was  shocked  at 
the  development  of  cancer,  tumor,  and  other 
diseases,  which  seemed  to  be  increasing,  and  which  the 
practitioners  were  not  healing  satisfactorily. 

I  detected  in  the  students  this, — that  while  they  admitted 
there  was  "no  life,  truth,  intelligence,  nor  substance  in 
matter,"'  they  had  not  made  unreal  their  belief  in  the 
organs  of  the  material  body.  I  saw  that  thoughts,  floating 
in  the  mental  atmosphere,  such  as  malice,  fear,  envy, 
jealousy,  revenge,  lust,  and  hypocrisy  found  "unsuspected 
lodgment"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  235)  in  different  organs 
of  the  human  belief.  To  point  out  these  receptacles  for 
diseased  beliefs,  to  talk  them  up  to  talk  them  down  and 
out,  and  make  them  unreal  as  matter,  was  my  object. 

I  therefore  began  to  take  up  the  names  that  Adam  gave 
to  his  mechanism,  and  to  rob  mortal  mind  of  its  hidden 
lodging  places  for  propagating  and  bringing  forth  disease 
and  the  creations  of  material  sense.  I  attacked  these 
false  concepts  and  showed  them  that,  in  their  places,  were 
qualities  of  God.  I  declared  for  the  nothingness  of  material 
generation  and  the  greatness,  allness  of  the  spiritual  man 
and  the  spiritual  universe. 

My  object  was  to  destroy  these  time-honored  gods  of 
material  generation,  and  to  lift  the  students'  thought  to 
the  spiritual  idea  and  spiritual  generation,  which  is  the 
substance  idea  back  of  the  false  consciousness  embodied 
in  organic  matter. 

*  Science  and  Health,  page  468. 


Secret  of  a  Great  Church  Work       in 

The  complete  justification  for  the  holding  of  these 
noonday  conferences  between  teacher  and  students 
is  found  in  the  words  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary 
Baker  Eddy,  in  Retrospection  and  Introspection,  page  85 : 

Teachers  of  Christian  Science  will  find  it  advisable  to 
band  together  their  students  into  associations,  to  continue 
the  organization  of  churches,  and  at  present  ^^g  ^^j^ 
they  can  employ  any  other  organic  operative  authorizes 
method  that  may  commend  itself  as  useful  to  ^^'^^  methods 
the  Cause  and  beneficial  to  mankind. 

The  following  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  evidences  her 
attitude  towards  the  work  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and  the 
practitioners  and  her  approval  of  the  estab-  p^jgin^yg  „, 
lishing  and  continuation  of  the  Reading  header's  auto- 
Room  in  this  church.  ^^* 

Pleasant  View, 

Concord,  N.  H.  July  2,  1905. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  C.S.D.  and  the  practitioners 
in  the  R.  R.  of  her  church.     N.  Y.  N.  Y. 

Dearly  beloved:  Words  fail  me,  they  are  insufficient  to 
tell  my  gratitude  for  your  remembrance  of  me.  I  love 
you — I  deeply  appreciate  your  love  for  me, — and  your  mag- 
nificent gifts  for  my  room  in  church.  The  silver  ice  sett,  and 
gilt  onyx  table.  More  than  a  cup  of  cold  water  in  His 
name,  even,  is  the  love  that  overflows  it  all — that  you  feel 
and  constantly  demonstrate  for  me.  Darlings,  it  blesses 
you,  it  blesses  me,  and  the  whole  world  !  Your  love  re- 
flects the  divine  Love  which  heals  the  sick,  conquers  sin 
and  the  sinner. 

Here  let  me  assure  you  that  I  never  said  or  thought  I 
should  remove  female  Students  from  their  sacred  office  of 
Readers  in  our  churches ! 

The  evil  one  or  one  evil,  is  ramified  just  now  in  attempts, 
but  God,  good,  is  all,  and  you  have  nothing  to  fear — since 


112     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

evil  is  nothing  and  you  are  a  great  somethings  in  God's  dear 
sight.  He  will  uphold  you  with  the  right  arm  of  His 
rightness.  I  pray  for  you  daily.  God  loves  you  and  I 
love  and  you  are  the  sheep  of  His  pasture.  Rest  my 
darling  Augusta  in  peace  God  is  with  you.  Ever  lovingly 
thine  own 

(Signed)  Mary  Baker  Eddy 

The  gifts  above  referred  to  were  publicly  acknowl- 
edged by  Mrs.  Eddy  in  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel, 
of  July  8,  1905  (volume  vii.,  page  724). 


Pleasant  View. 

Concord.  N  H 


^y^j  /^^ 


Facsimile  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 


V 


^A^U,^^^ 


■y^^^^C^^-^:^ 


CHAPTER  XII 

PRACTICE  OF  HEALING  IN  FIRST  CHURCH 

An  entirely  erroneous  impression  has  gone  forth 
regarding  the  circumstances  and  conditions  under 
which  the  practitioners  conducted  their  work  in  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City. 

It  was  wrongly  alleged  that  the  practitioners'  noonday 
meetings  were  more  in  the  nature  of  a  secret 
gathering,  about  which  the  Trustees  and  the  meetings  en- 
members  of  First  Church  knew  practically       dorsedby 

■^  -'  Trustees 

nothing.  There  may  have  been  many  mem- 
bers in  a  church  of  1800  persons  who  knew  little  about 
what  meetings  occurred,  when  and  where  they  were 
held,  and  who  were  in  attendance.  The  general  mem- 
bership of  any  church  knows  comparatively  little  of 
the  gatherings  of  its  officers,  its  committees,  and 
its  other  workers.  But  its  ignorance  of  the  fact 
is  no  justification  for  assuming  that  something  is 
wrong. 

The  fact  is  that  the  Reading  Room  Committee  and 
the  various  employees  of  the  church  who  were  members 
knew  of  the  practitioners'  meetings,  and  were,  in  a 
general  way,  aware  of  what  was  taught  therein.  It  is 
also  true  that  the  Trustees,  some  of  whom  more  or  less 
frequently  attended  these  meetings,  were  not  only 
aware  of  what  was  being  taught,  but  were  convinced  that 

8  .  113 


114     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

the  spiritual  effectiveness  of  the  practice  of  healing 
was  maintained  at  its  high  standard,  by  virtue  of 
Daily  confer-  ^^®  training,  counsel,  and  cooperation  of 
encesof  tcachcr  and  practitioners  in  those  noonday 
students"  meetings.  Nor  were  these  practitioners,  who 
later  fell  under  the  displeasure  of  The  Mother 
Church  Board  of  Directors,  lacking  in  adequate 
equipment  for  the  sacred  work.  They  were  with- 
out exception  persons  of  training  and  capacity  in 
their  knowledge  of  the  practice  of  Christian 
healing. 

By  their  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  by 
their  knowledge  of  an  ability  to  apply  the  teachings 
Brought  ^^  ^^^^^  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  in  diagnos- 
great  spiritual  ing  and  dealing  with  mental  conditions,  and 

ciency  ^^  their  consecration  to  the  Cause  in  giv- 
ing their  entire  time  to  the  work  of  Christian  Science 
Mind-healing,  they  had  demonstrated  the  power  which, 
to  those  of  us  who  knew  them  in  our  every  day  rela- 
tions, seemed  truly  like  a  restoration  of  the  Apostolic 
days,  when  the  deaf  were  made  to  hear,  the  lame  to  walk, 
and  the  blind  to  see.  Their  ability  to  handle  effectively 
mental  conditions,  out  of  which,  according  to  their 
instruction,  physical  disease  and  mental  disorders 
arose,  was  no  ordinary  spiritual  attainment.  Profi- 
ciency in  this  work  was  recognized  as  the  most  important 
attainment  which  the  members  of  the  denomination 
could  achieve.  It  is  quite  certain  that  the  degree  of 
proficiency  among  this  particular  group  of  practitioners, 
who  were  cast  out  of  the  church  by  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors, represented  study  and  practice  for  periods  ranging 
from  seven  to  twenty-two  years,  in  First  Church,  New 
York. 

It  will  no  doubt  be  of  interest  to  Christian  Scientists 


Practice  of  Healing  in  First  Church    115 

and  others  to  learn  how  the  work  of  heaHng,  carried 
on  under  the  church  roof,  was  organized,  and  in 
what  spirit  it  was  regarded  by  those  in  ^ow  healing 
charge.  The  Annual  Report  of  the  Chair-  work  was 
man  of  the  Reading  Room,  for  the  year  1908, 
submitted  in  the  beginning  of  1909,  presents  the 
following  as  the  view-point  of  the  practitioners: 

When  we  consider  that  every  ill  of  human  experience 
has  been  brought  about  by  wrong  thinking,  we  are  ready 
to  acknowledge  how  vital  to  the  interests  of  the  individual 
and  of  the  community  is  the  ability  to  think  rightly.  The 
Christian  Science  Reading  Room  offers  a  place,  provides 
an  environment  where  the  habit  of  wrong  thinking  may  be 
dropped,  and  the  new  or  real  thinking  may  be  acquired; 
where  human  opinions  and  human  experiences  do  not 
obtain;  where  the  spiritual  perceptions  are  exercised, 
instead  of  physical  sense;  where  Mind  speaks,  and  matter 
is  silent;  where  Love  reigns,  and  self  has  no  kingdom. 

No  ordinary  standard  of  spirituality  is  here  set  up. 
No  disloyal,  undisciplined,  disobedient  or  personally 
controlled  thought  had  any  abiding  place 
here  in  this  self-governing  group.  From  the  governing 
"  Rules  Governing  Practitioners  in  the  Read-  P^'^t't^''''^" 
ing  Room,"  we  quote  the  requirements  of  their  calling, 
as  embodied  in  this  same  Annual  Report. 

ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  CHAIRMAN  OF  THE 
READING  ROOM 

ARTICLE  I 
QUALIFICATIONS  OF  PRACTITIONERS 

I.  Practitioners  in  the  Reading  Room  of  First  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  of  New  York  City,  shall  be  elected  from 
the  members  of  this  church  and  appointed  by  the  Board 


ii6     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

of  Trustees.     They  shall  also  be  members  of  The  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston,  Mass. 

2.  Practitioners  shall  not  pursue  other  vocations  or 
professions,  and  shall  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to 
respond,  as  far  as  possible,  to  special  calls  at  any  time, 
upon  notice  from  the  Chairman  of  the  Reading  Room 
Committee. 

ARTICLE  II 

ORGANIZATION 

1.  The  practitioners  shall  appoint  from  among  their 
number  a  committee  of  five,  to  be  known  as  the  Practi- 
tioners' Committee.  This  committee  shall  be  organized 
with  a  Chairman  and  a  Secretary,  both  of  whom  shall  be 
elected  by  the  practitioners  at  their  annual  meeting. 

DUTIES  OF  CHAIRMAN 

2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Chairman  to  organize  a 
committee  for  the  reception  of  visitors  and  patients;  said 
committee  to  be  known  as  the  Reading  Room  Reception 
Committee,  and  shall  be  composed  of  members  of  this 
church.  Vacancies  shall  be  filled  from  a  waiting  list,  the 
names  of  which  shall  be  approved  by  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Under  this  Article  there  has  been  organized  a  Reception 
Committee  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  forty-eight 
members.  I  quote  from  "Rules  Governing  Reception 
Committee:" 

ARTICLE  III 
ORGANIZATION 

I.  The  Reception  Committee  shall  be  presided  over 
by  the  Chairman  of  the  Reading  Room  Committee,  who 
shall  organize  the  members  into  14  working  committees — 
one  committee  for  each  half  day  in  the  week,  and  two 
evening  committees. 


Practice  of  Healing  in  First  Church   117 

The  Annual  Report  continues  as  follows: 

The  church  has  grown  as  a  body  in  all  directions,  in  all 
its  parts.  It  has  therefore  been  found  necessary  to  increase 
the  Reception  Committee.  These  faithful  sentinels  and 
messengers  are  baptized  hourly  by  the  love  and  gratitude 
of  practitioners,  by  fellow  church  members,  and  by  all  who 
visit  the  Reading  Rooms. 

Some  faint  idea  may  be  had  of  the  amount  and  nature 
of  this  work  when  we  consider  that  this  committee,  during 
the  year,  received  52,555  visitors,  and  saw  that  The  year's 
they  were  properly  cared  for.     This  is  an  increase  visitors 

of  22.7  per  cent.,  or  very  nearly  10,000  over  the  preceding 
year.  This  increase  is  due  in  part  to  the  opening  of  the 
Reading  Rooms  two  evenings  in  the  week, — Tuesday  and 
Friday. 

A  very  beautiful  phenomenon  followed  the  extension  of 
the   work   into   the   evening   hours — reading  lamps   were 
placed  on  every  table,   thus  bringing  the  light 
nearer  to  each  student  of  our  beloved  Leader's     atmosphere 
works.     Many  a  care-worn  man  or  woman  has      °*  Reading 

Room 

taken  deep  draughts  of  the  healing  atmosphere 
of  these  Rooms ;  many  an  apathetic  nature  has  been  quick- 
ened by  the  mental  activity  here;  many  a  sorrow-darkened 
heart  has  been  irradiated  by  the  glory  of  the  spiritual  life; 
many  a  suffering  sense  has  been  destroyed,  and  many  a  sin 
laid  bare  and  forsaken. 

Whence  this  atmosphere,  this  activity,  this  light? 
Thought  is  force,  Mrs.  Eddy  says,  and  the  mighty  force 
of  healing  is  going  on  in  these  Rooms  every  minute.  A 
continuous  battle  is  being  fought  against  sin,  disease,  and 
death  by  trained  soldiers.  Hate  and  fear  and  resentment 
and  criticism  are  being  momently  destroyed  by  Love; 
hypocrisy  and  deceit  are  going  out  before  irresistible  Truth ; 
malice  and  ignorance  are  yielding  to  the  sweet  influence 
of  pure  Mind.  The  world  calls  these  sins,  rheumatism 
and  neurasthenia,  cancer  and  consumption,  headache  and — 


ii8     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

but  the  name  is  legion.     Every  day,  however,  these  ills  are 
being  driven  out,  and  healthy  conditions  are  appearing. 

Before  giving  these  statistics  of  healing,  it  is  my  duty  to 
report  that  three  practitioners  have  recently  resigned  from 
the  Reading  Room.  I  also  announce  that  Mr.  Hayne 
Davis  and  Mr.  Arthur  E.  Overbury  have  been  appointed 
by  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  serve  as  practitioners  in  the 
Reading  Room. 

SUMMARY  OF  REPORTS 
OF  PRACTITIONERS  OF  READING  ROOM 

Patients  treated 3,004  Increase  over  1907 417 

Diseases        "     4.704  "         "        "  188 

Children  treated..        183  "          "         "  9 

A  single              Diseases  healed. ..  3,331  "         "        "  153 

year's  record     Had  failed  under 

medicine 1,659  "          "        "  178 

Patients  passed  on 4  Decrease  under  "  2 

The  flexibility  of  the  organization,  and  the  ready  response 
to  meet  any  new  conditions  that  may  arise,  were  strikingly 
evidenced  this  summer,  when,  on  account  of  repairs  in  the 
Reading  Rooms,  the  auditorium  was  temporarily  used  for 
that  purpose.  Not  a  jar  or  inconvenience  or  annoyance 
was  felt.     All  went  smoothly  and  naturally. 

I  take  this  opportunity  to  reply  to  a  question  often  put 
to  me:  "How  can  I  contribute  to  the  work  of  the  church? 
How  each  ^^^  cau  I  help  the  Reading  Rooms?"  Every 
was  taught  earnest,  loving,  disciplined  Christian  Scientist 
°   ^  ^  who  enters  these  Rooms  and  will  quietly  read 

or  think  into  consciousness  the  great  message  of  Science 
and  Health,  or  the  noble  truths  of  the  Bible,  is  meeting 
and  destroying  the  evils  of  ignorance  or  malicious  thinking. 
Much  has  been  accomplished  on  this  line,  but  infinitely 
more  can  be  done  by  each  member  of  the  church  in  contri- 
buting to  the  poise,  balance,  serenity,  and  joy  that  comes 
from  conquered  self  and  quiet  communion  with  God. 

(Signed)        Sibyl  Marvin  Huse,  Chairman. 


Practice  of  Healing  in  First  Church    119 

The  foregoing  Report  was  not  an  unusual  one.  On 
the  contrary,  it  was  truly  representative  of  what  First 
Church,  New  York  City  was,  up  to  that  time,  accom- 
plishing year  by  year  through  the  efforts  of  a  well- 
trained  body  of  Christian  workers. 

We  appeal  to  the  judgment  of  Christian  Scientists 
in  particular,  and  to  Christian  people  in  general, 
whether  or  not  the  above  Report,  which  wastws 
describes  the  work  of  Christian  Science  work  right 
practitioners  in  the  Reading  Room  of  First  o'^rong? 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  represents 
a  sound  or  an  unsound  condition  of  religious  life. 

There  can  be  only  one  answer.  There  is  not  a  church 
in  Christendom  that  would  not  rejoice  to  be  able  to 
manifest  the  Christ  power  implied  in  the  Must  be 
healing  of  3,331  cases  of  disease  in  a  single  judged  by 
year.  It  is  certain  that,  excepting  the  three  ^"  '*"  ^ 
years  of  the  blessed  Master's  ministry,  there  never 
was  a  larger  benefit  bestowed  in  a  similar  period  any- 
where else  in  the  world  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church.  If  so,  the  annals  of  Christian  history  do  not 
disclose  anything  approaching  this  wonderful  healing 
capacity  of  less  than  twoscore  persons.  Yet  this  very 
work,  and  these  very  workers,  within  a  few  months 
after  this  Report  was  read,  became  objects  against 
whom  condemnation  was  directed. 

Mrs.  Eddy  says  in  Science  and  Health,  page  254: 

If  you  launch  your  bark  upon  the  ever-agitated  but 
healthful  waters  of  truth,  you  will  encounter  storms. 
Your  good  will  be  evil  spoken  of.  This  is  the  cross.  Take 
it  up  and  bear  it,  for  through  it  you  win  and  wear  the 
crown. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

EDITORIAL   CRITICISM  OF  FIRST   CHURCH  OF 
CHRIST,  SCIENTIST,  NEW  YORK  CITY 

During  the  latter  part  of  1908,  the  Board  of  Trustees 

of  First  Church,  New  York,  learned  that  one  of  the 

members  of  this  branch  church  had  made  an 

index  alphabetically   classified   index   of   all   cases 

of  healing   that  had  been  reported   in   The 

Christian  Science  Journal  and  Sentinel. 

Believing  that  this  might  prove  to  be  helpful  to  the 
practitioners  connected  with  this  church,  and  of  service 
in  answering  inquiries  of  others,  the  author  generously 
offered  to  put  the  results  of  her  labors  at  the  service  of 
this  church.  The  Trustees,  after  being  duly  satisfied 
with  the  reliable  and  important  character  of  the  work, 
passed  a  vote  of  thanks,  and  presented  a  nominal 
,     .    .        honorarium  for  the  time  spent.     Not  long 

Inquiry  from  _  ^  ° 

Publication  after  this,  a  letter  was  received  by  the  Clerk 
Society  ^£  ^j^^  church  from  Clifford  P.  Smith,  Secre- 

tary of  the  Christian  Science  Publishing  Society,  in 
Boston,  stating  that  it  had  been  represented  to  them 
that  it  was  the  purpose  of  First  Church,  New  York, 
to  publish  said  compilation  of  cases  of  healing,  and 
inquiring  whether  this  church  had  been  properly 
represented  in  such  allegation. 

A  denial  of  any  such  purpose  was  promptly  sent, 
and  request  made  for  the  name  of  the  alleged  informant. 
Confidentiality  was  urged  in  reply  by  Secretary  Clifford 

120 


Editorial  Criticism  121 

P.  Smith.  Following  this,  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
First  Church  had  repeatedly  suffered  from  misrepresen- 
tation, this  latest  instance  led  the  Board  of 

Assurance 

Trustees  of  First  Church  to  reassure  the  and  warning 
Christian  Science  Publishing  Society  of  its  "^igop.to 
fidelity  to  the  Rules  of  the  Manual  regarding      Publishing 

,  ,.         .  ^     ,  .  .  .     .  Society 

publications,  and  also  to  warn  it  against  giving 
credence  to  unverified  allegations  against  First  Church, 
New  York.     This  was  embodied  in  the  following  letter : 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
Central  Park  West  &  96TH  Street, 
February   7,    1909. 

The  Christian  Science  Publishing  Society, 
Clifford  P.  Smith,  Secretary, 

Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Streets, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Friends: — Your  favor  of  the  29th  ult.  is  received. 

We  are  glad  to  believe  that  your  original  letter  of  inquiry 
indicates  a  purpose  to  refer  to  us  direct  regarding  matters 
pertaining  to  this  church  or  its  work,  before  giving  credence 
to  reports  of  criticism,  and  we  thank  you  for  it.  By  such 
cooperation  we  can  at  all  times  prevent  harm  being  done 
to  our  beloved  Cause  through  malicious  or  ignorant  persons 
claiming  to  be  Christian  Scientists. 

Our  experiences  of  the  past  furnish  evidence  that  all 
Christian  Scientists  have  not  exemplified  the  practice  of 
that  courtesy  and  justice  in  this  regard  which  even  the 
world  usually  observes. 

We  are  and  always  have  been  strict  observers  of  the 
Rules  laid  down  in  The  Mother  Church  Manual. 
Sincerely  yours, 
BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  OF 
FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST,  OF 
NEW  YORK  CITY. 

By  (Signed)     E.  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman, 
John  D.  Higgins,  Clerk. 


122     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  letter  of  Clifford  P.  Smith,  Secretary,  to  which 
the  above  is  a  reply,  is  the  only  instance  in  which 
a  matter  of  this  character  was  called  to  the  Trustees' 
attention  affording  an  opportunity  for  correcting  mis- 
statements. 

Toward  the  close  of  1908,  the  official  church  periodi- 
cals began  to  contain  statements  reflecting  on  this 
branch  church.     In  the  Sentinel  of  December 

Sentinel's  „  ^  j_       i  -i        • 

editorials  5»  iQoS,  an  opcn  attack  was  made  m  an 
criticize         editorial  entitled   "One  Mother  Church  in 

First  Church 

Christian  Science."  It  should  be  stated 
in  advance  that  the  occasion  of  this  attack  was  the 
proposal  originating  among  members  of  First  Church, 
New  York,  to  organize  and  build,  on  a  location  on 
Riverside  Drive,  a  branch  of  The  Mother  Church,  The 
First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 
The  public  press  had  announced  the  purchase  of  a 
lot  there  by  persons  identified  with  First  Church,  New 

York,  who  had,  as  individuals,  obtained  an 

Purchase  of  .  .  -i  i        i     i  i    •.     r 

lot  on  River-  option  to  purchasc,  m  order  to  hold  it  tor 
side  Drive  ^^^j^  ^  branch  church  purpose  if  needed. 
The  work  in  First  Church,  New  York,  had  prospered 
to  such  an  extent  that  at  last  there  were  as  many  as 
two  or  three  hundred  people  standing  during  the  morn- 
ing service  on  Sunday.  During  the  earlier  months  of 
1908,  this  condition  was  met  by  providing  an  overflow 
service  in  the  Reading  Room  of  the  church  building. 
Some  time  during  that  year,  in  obedience  to  the  fol- 
lowing By-Law  duly  promulgated  and  incorporated 
in  The  Mother  Church  Manual,  prohibiting  overflow 
meetings,  this  remedy  providing  for  the  excess  of 
attendance  was  promptly  discontinued: 

Article  XVII.    Overflow  Meetings.    Sect.  4.  A  Church 


Editorial  Criticism  123 

of  Christ,  Scientist,  shall  not  hold  two  or  more  Sunday- 
services  at  the  same  hour. 

Within  the  New  York  church  itself,  the  view  was 
entertained  all  along,  and  especially  after  overflow 
services  were  forbidden,  that  as  the  true  r«  « 
scientific  method,  it  rested  upon  First  Church  meetings 
to  send  out  some  of  its  members  for  the 
building  of  another  branch  of  The  Mother  Church, 
The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  that  this  should  be  located  in  some  part 
of  the  city  which  was  not  already  preempted  by  exist- 
ing Christian  Science  churches.  The  matter  of  meeting 
this  problem  had  been  discussed  among  the  church 
members,  and  repeatedly  at  the  meetings  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees.  Every  thought  and  purpose  was  subor- 
dinate to  the  strictest  loyalty  to  the  Cause,  to  The 
Mother  Church,  and  to  the  development  of  Christian 
Science  work  in  this  city. 

Nevertheless,  however  good  and  pure  the  purpose 
of  this  effort,  it  developed  most  unexpectedly  that 
there  were  those  who  took  the  unwarranted  unwarranted 
view  that  the  purchase  of  a  lot  on  Riverside  *ss"™p"°° 
Drive, — close  to  the  University  and  Colleges  with 
their  thousands  of  students,  and  in  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  rapidly  developing  portions  of  New  York 
City, — involved  a  desire  for  material  aggrandizement 
and  the  gratification  of  an  ambition  for  prominence. 

This  view  was  apparently  not  long  in  finding  expres- 
sion in  the  official  organs  of  the  church.  The  Riverside 
Drive  lot  was  secured  late  in  November,  1908.  In  the 
Christian  Science  Sentinel,  of  December  5,  1908,  occurred 
the  following  editorial  entitled  "Consistency,"  signed 
by  Archibald  McLellan: 


124      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

CONSISTENCY. 

Is  matter  real? 

No;  there  is  no  matter.  God  is  All,  and  God  is  Spirit; 
Another  therefore  they  that  worship  Him,  worship  Him 

editorial         in  Spirit  and  in  truth. 

criticism  jg  Q^^  gp.^^p 

He  is. 

Then,  do  you  make  God,  who  is  real,  supreme  in  your 
affections,  or  are  you  making  matter,  which  you  admit  is 
not  real,  supreme? 

Are  you  striving,  in  Christian  Science,  to  be  the  best 
Christian  on  earth,  or  are  you  striving  to  have  the  most 
costly  edifice  on  the  earth? 

Are  you  striving  to  make  the  most  possible  of  matter, 
which  you  admit  is  unreal,  or  are  you  striving  to  make 
most  of  Spirit,  which  you  admit  is  All,  and  that  there 
is  none  beside  Spirit? 

Let  every  Christian  Scientist  answer  honestly  to  his  God 
the  above  questions,  then  obey  the  command,  "Choose 
you  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve."  If  it  be  Spirit,  let  it 
be  Spirit;  and  if  it  be  matter,  let  him  acknowledge  it,  and 
remove  his  name  from  the  list  of  Christian  Scientists. 
This  he  must  do,  and  will  do  if  he  is  honest. 

The  more  modest  and  less  imposing  material  super- 
structures indicate  a  spiritual  state  of  thought;  and  vice 
versa. 

The  house  Mrs.  Eddy  now  occupies  is  larger  than  she 
needs,  because  she  could  not  find  exactly  what  she  wanted ; 
but  it  is  a  plain  house,  and  its  furnishings  are  not  extrava- 
gant. Mrs.  Eddy  has  continued  to  declare  against  the 
display  of  material  things,  and  has  said  that  the  less  we 
have  of  them  the  better.  Since  God  has  taught  her  that 
matter  is  unreal  and  Spirit  is  the  only  reahty,  any  other 
position  would  be  unscientific. 

(Signed)     Archibald  McLellan. 

Is  it  not  an  unscientific  statement  to  say  that  "The 


Editorial  Criticism  125 

more  modest  and  less  imposing  material  superstructures 
indicate  a  spiritual  state  of  thought;  and  vice  versa'' '^ 
If  that  were  true,  then  instead  of  The  Mother  unscientific 
Church  with  its  Extension  Building,  em-  i'»f««°<=^^ 
bodying  an  inspiration  of  exalted  ideals,  there  should 
be  substituted  the  log-cabin  type  of  the  pioneer  as  a 
means  of  indicating  a  superior  state  of  spiritual  thought. 

The  attempt  at  apology  for  the  kind  of  house  which 
our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  then  occupied  was 
not  only  uncalled  for,  but  was  certainly  not  in  accord- 
ance with  the  finer  feelings  of  the  membership  at  large, 
who  always  felt  that  nothing  was  too  good  for  the  one 
who  had  brought  to  the  world  the  priceless  blessings 
of  Christian  Science. 

Let  us  place  before  the  reader  a  correspondence 
which  passed  between  Mary  Baker  Eddy  and  Augusta 
E.  Stetson  in  April,  1908,  the  same  year  in  Leader's 
which  the  foregoing  editorial  appeared.  The  attitude  of 
correspondence  in  question  related  to  a 
minor  material  gift,  the  spiritual  significance  of  which 
was  clearly  set  forth  in  both  communications.  Let 
us  contrast  Mr.  McLellan's  conceptions  of  mental 
phenomena  with  Mrs.  Eddy's  spiritual  interpretation 
of  and  gratitude  for  a  gift  expressive  of  unselfed  love, 
and  her  benediction  to  "you  and  your  students,"  that 
came  with  her  reply  to  Mrs.  Stetson's  letter  as  given 
below,  from  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  of  April  18, 
1908: 

New  York,  N.  Y.,  April  8,  1908. 

My  Precious  Leader  and  Teacher: — Since  you  have 
moved  into  your  new  home,  I  have  greatly  desired  to  send 
you  an  expression  of  my  love,  but  I  have  been  unable  to 
find  anything  which  I  thought  would  be  pure  and  perfect 


126      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

enough  to  offer  to  my  precious  Leader.  Nothing  I  ever 
could  get  would  express  my  deep  love  and  loyalty,  and  my 
ever-increasing  gratitude  to  you,  so  I  ceased  my  search, 
and  settled  upon  this  flower  holder,  which  I  send  to  you, 
dearest,  as  a  reminder  of  my  affection  for  you,  and  of  nearly 
twenty-four  years  of  your  patient,  unselfed  watch-care  of 
me  and  mine.  I  trust  it  will  speak  to  you  of  my  constant 
appreciation  of  your  Christly  love  for  me,  and  mine,  and  all 
mankind,  and  of  my  earnest  endeavor  to  continue  to  follow 
and  obey  your  consecrated  life  and  sublime  teachings.  My 
heart  is  overflowing  with  gratitude  to  God  for  such  a 
Leader,  and  Teacher,  and  Guide  to  eternal  Life. 
Ever  your  loving  child, 

(Signed)       Augusta  E,  Stetson. 

Mrs.  Eddy's  Reply. 

My  Beloved  Student: — Your  gift  to  me — a  "flower  holder" 
— is  a  dream  of  beauty.  I  thank  you.  God  give  you  and 
your  students  the  beauty  of  love  in  the  highest,  peace  and 
good  will  to  men. 

Lovingly, 

Mary  B.  G.  Eddy. 

Hitherto  no  official  organ  of  the  church,  so  far  as  we 
are  aware,  had  ever  adversely  criticized  a  proposal  to 
build  an  additional  branch  of  The  Mother  Church  in 
this  or  any  other  city.  It  was  therefore  difficult  to 
understand  why  a  publication  of  the  denomination, 
such  as  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  should  be  used 
to  discourage  this  effort  to  provide  for  the  growth  of 
the  Cause  in  the  building  here  of  another  branch  of 
The  Mother  Church. 

But  this  was  made  clear  by  another  editorial  in  the 
Christian  Science  Sentinel  of  December  5,   1908,  also 


Editorial  Criticism  127 

signed  by  Archibald  McLellan,  the  Editor-in-Chief, 
and  entitled  "  One  Mother  Church  in  Christian  Science," 
in  which  he  quoted  from  an  unwarranted, 

,         .         ^  .  Groundless 

inaccurate,  and  unauthorized  statement  irom  fear  of  rivalry 
a    New    York    daily    paper     of    November     ^  en'^attack 
30th,  without  any  attempt  to  verify  it  by 
communicating  with  the  New  York  Trustees.     This 
editorial  read  as  follows: 

ONE  MOTHER  CHURCH  IN  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE 

A  newspaper  of  Nov.  30  announces,  on  information  said 
to  have  been  received  from  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
of  New  York  city,  that:  "It  is  proposed  to 
have  a  church  edifice,  rivaling  in  beauty  of  VasedTn 
architecture  any  other  religious  structure  in  newspaper 
America.  .  .  .     Mrs.    Eddy    is    known    to    be  '^"™*"^ 

profoundly  pleased  at  this  new  evidence  of  growth  and 
prosperity  in  the  faith  of  which  she  is  Founder.  ...  It 
was  learned  last  night  that  Christian  Scientists  here  have 
aspired  to  build  another  and  more  splendid  edifice,  ever 
since  the  Boston  Christian  Scientists  erected  the  $2,000,000 
Mother  Church." 

Concerning  these  news  items,  it  is  to  be  said  that  Mrs. 
Eddy  was  not  "known  to  be  profoundly  pleased"  with 
what  purports  to  be  the  plans  of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  of  New  York  city,  for  she  learned  of  this  proposed 
rival  to  The  Mother  Church,  for  the  first  time,  from  the 
daily  press. 

Three  leading  facts  remain  immortal  in  the  history  of 
Christian  Science,  namely: 

1.  This  Science  is  already  established,  and  it  has  the 
support  of  all  true  Christian  Scientists  throughout  the  world. 

2.  Any  competition  or  any  rivalry  in  Christian  Science 
is  abnormal,  and  will  expose  and  explode  itself. 

3.  Any  attempt  at  rivalry  or  superiority  in  Christian 


128      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Science  is  unchristian;  therefore  it  is  unscientific.  The 
great  Teacher  said:  "As  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
to  you,  do  ye." 

Thoughtful  Christian  Scientists  are  profoundly  grateful 
to  their  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  because  in  her  far- 
seeing  wisdom  she  has  ordained  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  already  famous  for  originating 
reforms,  as  The  Mother  Church  of  Christian  Science,  and 
all  other  churches  in  the  denomination  as  branches  of  the 
parent  Vine.  Says  the  Church  Manual:  "In  its  relation 
to  other  Christian  Science  churches,  in  its  By-laws  and 
self-government,  The  Mother  Church  stands  alone;  it 
occupies  a  position  that  no  other  church  can  fill"  (Article 
XXIII.,  Sect.  3).  It  is  a  fact  of  general  observation  that 
in  proportion  as  branch  churches  adhere  loyally  to  The 
Mother  Church,  and  obey  implicitly  its  By-laws,  they 
bear  abundant  fruit  in  healing  the  sick  and  sinful. 

In  many  of  our  large  cities,  when  a  congregation  has  out- 
grown its  church  building,  then  other  branch  churches  are 
organized  and  new  edifices  erected  to  accommodate  the 
increasing  numbers ;  but  each  new  branch  at  once  becomes 
an  individual  church,  and  has  immediate  connection  with 
The  Mother  Church,  so  that  the  later  organizations  are  as 
directly  attached  to  the  parent  Vine  as  are  any  of  the  earlier 
branches.  The  members  of  each  new  organization  are  in 
no  wise  connected  or  affiliated  with  their  former  church, 
except  in  the  bonds  of  that  Christian  fellowship  which 
should  characterize  all  true  followers  of  the  Master. 

The  Christian  Science  movement  is  in  accord  with 
Jesus'  words:  "The  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except 
it  abide  in  the  vine."  Were  one  branch  church  to  depend 
upon  a  neighboring  branch  for  training  and  support,  this 
action  would  tend  to  sever  its  connection  with  The  Mother 
Church.  The  essential  condition  for  fruit-bearing  is  undi- 
vided attachment  to  the  parent  Vine.  On  the  other  hand, 
no  branch  church,  however  large,  is  privileged  to  oversee 
or  supervise  another  branch.     Such  action  would  violate 


Editorial  Criticism  129 

a  fundamental  rule  in  Christian  Science.  The  Church 
Manual  declares :  "The  branch  churches  shall  be  individual" 
(Article  XXIII. ,  Sect.  6).  Thus  far  the  larger  churches 
have  resisted  the  temptation  to  organize  or  foster  branches 
of  their  own,  and  any  failure  to  adhere  strictly  to  this  rule 
would  be  a  serious  departure  from  the  universal  practice 
of  the  denomination  and  a  flagrant  violation  of  the  By-laws 
of  The  Mother  Church  Manual. 

The  Master  said:  "I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches: 
He  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit:  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing." 

Archibald  McLellan. 

Can  an  editorial  criticism  of  such  an  unwarranted 
character,  holding  up  to  unprecedented  public  rebuke 
a  branch  of  The  Mother  Church  without  proper  effort 
at  ascertaining  the  facts,  be  designated  by  those  who 
understand  Christian  Science  as  any  thing  less  than 
mental  malpractice? 

In  order  to  show  how  groundless  this  criticism  was, 
the  following  letter,  containing  the  essential  facts  in 
the  matter,  was  prepared  and  forwarded  by  the  New 
York  Board  of  Trustees: 


First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 

Central  Park  West  &  96TH  Street, 

December  14,  1908. 

Archibald  McLellan,  Esq.,  Editor, 
The  Christian  Science  Periodicals, 
Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Streets, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Mr.  McLellan: — Out  of  regard  for  the  truth,  and 
in  justice  to  ourselves  and  to  Christian  Scientists     j^^pjy  ^^  ^^ 
generally  throughout  the  world,  we,  the  Board     undeserved 
of  Trustees  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  ''" 
New  York  City,  feel  in  duty  bound  to  set  forth  the  facts, 


130      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

and  to  disown  the  motives  and  purposes  imputed  to  us  as 
a  branch  church  in  the  editorial  allegations  and  inferences 
contained  in  the  Sentinel  of  December  5,  1908,  page  270, 
columns  one  and  two,  in  the  article  entitled  "One  Mother 
Church  in  Christian  Science." 

In  that  editorial,  this  particular  church  is,  with  apparent 
animus,  singled  out  for  attack  and  held  up  for  reproach 
Protest  before  the  public  on  assumed  grounds,  which 

against  unjust  the  facts  in  the  case  do  not  truthfully  justify, 
assault  Inferences     are    also    drawn     which,     in    our 

view,  constitute  an  assault  upon  the  fundamental  rela- 
tions of  Christian  Science  churches.  Against  both  of 
these  we  respectfully  protest  as  unwarranted  and 
unjust. 

The  facts  are  these:  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City,  as  the  result  of  twenty-one  years  of  un- 
broken loyalty  to  The  Mother  Church  and  to  Mrs.  Eddy, 
its  beloved  head,  has,  in  common  with  many  other  Christian 
Science  churches,  for  many  months  found  its  capacity 
inadequate  to  accommodate  the  people  attending.  An  over- 
flow service  was  resorted  to  until  The  Mother  Church  By- 
Law,  whose  wisdom  was  never  questioned,  terminated  that 
mode  of  relieving  the  situation. 

Oiu"  only  remaining  recourse  was  then  to  make  more  com- 
prehensive survey  of  the  local  field,  in  order  that  those  of  our 
members  who  might  at  the  proper  time  be  will- 
for  growing  ing  of  their  own  accord  to  form  a  new  branch  of 
were  in  line  'pj^g  Mothcr  Church,  might  not  only  have  regard 
to  the  past  achievements  of  the  Cause  in  this 
field,  but  also  might  look  well  to  its  future  requirements. 
With  this  in  view  a  provisional  committee  of  outgoing 
members  was  named,  and  steps  were  taken  to  secure  an 
option  on  one  of  the  few  available  tracts  in  a  portion  of  this 
city  where  there  is  no  Christian  Science  church,  and  where 
there  are  from  7,000  to  10,000  adults  engaged  in  educational 
pursuits.  This  tentative  selection  of  a  site  so  appealed  to 
the  strategic  sense  of  our  membership,  that  they  contributed 


Editorial  Criticism  131 

$93,000  at  a  single  meeting  towards  the  price  of  $390,000 
at  which  the  plot  had  been  secured. 

The  high  value  of  the  property  and  the  prominence  of 
location  led  to  exaggeration  and  wholly  unwarranted 
statements  in  the  public  press,  of  which  the  one  here  com- 
plained of  in  the  Sentinel  of  the  date  mentioned  is  among 
the  most  glaring  examples  of  misstatement  and  misrepre- 
sentation. So  great  has  been  the  mischief,  however,  from 
this  perversion  of  fact,  that  out  of  loving  regard  for  the 
present  and  future  peace  of  the  Church  in  general  this 
transaction  has  been  promptly  cancelled,  the  property 
transferred  to  a  waiting  purchaser,  and  the  contributions 
refunded  without  loss  to  any  one. 

On  the  above  statement  of  facts,  which  to  the  best  of 
our  knowledge  and  belief  are  the  essential  truths  in  the 
matter  we  submit : 

1.  That  the  editorial  in  question  shows  an  unjustifiable 
use  of  a  damaging  newspaper  statement  by  proceeding  on 
the  assumption  of  its  accuracy  to  make  disci- 
plinary strictures  of  a  nature  utterly  at  variance  basfdon  fact 
with  the  actual  facts,  and  contrary  to  the  fine 

spirit  hitherto  always  exemplified  in  our  periodical 
literature. 

2.  That  there  is  no  warrant  whatsoever,  either  in  the 
Scriptures  or  in  the  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church,  for  the 
exercise,  as  in  this  case,  of  any  act  of  discipline 

to  an  individual  church  in  good  standing,  through  undertook 
the  medium  of  editorial  utterances.  Disci-  *"*  exercise 
plinary  authority  is  vested  solely  in  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  (Manual,  Article  XI., 
Sect.  5) ;  and  then  only  as  to  individuals,  and  any  attempt 
to  shift  that  center  of  authority  and  responsibility,  or  to 
usurp  it  under  any  pretext,  is  an  act  in  subversion  of  Chris- 
tian Science  church  polity. 

3.  That  inasmuch  as  "The  Mother  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  shall  assume  no  general  official  control  of  other 
churches"    (Manual,    Article    XXIII.,    Section    i),   each 


132      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

branch  church  within  the  limit  of  obedience  to  the  Manual 
of  The  Mother  Church,  and  to  the  laws  of  the  State,  is 
Interfered  in  ^^  liberty  to  meet  and  work  out  its  problem 
local  church  by  its  own  ways  and  means  without  being 
problems  called  to  account  for  not  proceeding  as  other 
localities  or  branch  churches  may  have  done. 

4.  That  in  justice  to  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City,  and  in  order  that  the  wrong  may  rightfully 
Publication  ^®  Corrected,  it  is  but  fair  and  proper  that  this 
of  disclaimer  communication  in  its  entirety  be  given,  with 
requested  reasonable  promptness,  equal  publicity  in  the 
official  organs  in  which  the  editorial  in  question  appeared, 
so  that  whatever  things  are  true,  and  just,  and  of  good  re- 
port, may  have  sway  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  Church — "  The 
structure  of  Truth  and  Love"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  583). 
Faithfully  yours  in  Truth, 
(Signed)  E.  F.  Hatfield, 

Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

This  communication  of  December  14,  in  which  funda- 
mental grounds  were  taken  for  the  protection  of  a  branch 
church  against  unauthorized  statements,  never  received 
the  courtesy  of  so  much  as  an  acknowledgment.  In 
The  New  York  World  of  December  15,  1908  (ten  days 
after  Mr.  McLellan's  editorial  above  quoted),  appeared 
the  following  statement  by  J.  V.  Dittemore,  then  the 
PubHcation  Committee  for  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  now  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The 
Mother  Church,  Clerk  of  that  Church,  and  Secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Directors: 

It  is  not  true  that  the  Christian  Science  Church  is  facing 

a  crisis,  and  the  charge  that  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 

Publication      s^g^sQn  is  about  to  scize  control  of  the  denomi- 

Committee  _  _  /-<       • 

denies  ab-  nation  is  as  absurd  as  it  is  impossible.  Chris- 
surd  rumor  ^-^^  Sciencc  has  never  been  in  a  more  flourishing 
and  prosperous  condition  than  it  is  to-day. 


Editorial  Criticism  133 

...  no  effort  has  ever  been  made  by  The  Mother 
Church  to  pry  into  the  affairs  of  any  of  its  branches. 

It  was  felt  by  many  who  comprehended  the  spiritual 
significance  of  our  action  toward  extending  the  service 
of  the  Cause  in  this  community  that  our  beloved 
Leader's  message  (published  in  the  Christian  Science 
Sentinel,  of  January  16,  1909),  was  more  than  ample 
reward  for  the  sacrifice.  We  recognize  that  this  was 
a  message  to  us  pointing  out  the  real  path  of  progress, 
and  it  lifted  us  unto  a  larger  realization  of  her  unerring 
leadership.  In  that  message,  expressed  under  the 
title,  "The  Way  of  Wisdom,"  she  sent  the  following 
immortal  words: 

When  my  dear  brethren  in  New  York  desire  to  build 
higher, — to  enlarge  their  phylacteries  and  demonstrate 
Christian  Science  to  a  higher  extent, — they  ^eajer  enjoins 
must  begin  on  a  wholly  spiritual  foundation,  "  wholly  spiri- 
than  which  there  is  no  other,  and  proportion-  *"*  "*  ^"** 
ably  estimate  their  success  and  glory  of  achievement  only 
as  they  build  upon  the  rock  of  Christ,  the  spiritual  founda- 
tion. This  will  open  the  way,  widely  and  impartially,  to 
their  never-ending  success, — to  salvation  and  eternal 
Christian  Science. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
MATERIAL  CONCEPT  OF  COMPOSITE  LETTER 

In  the  issue  of  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel  of  July- 
Si,  1909,  appeared  the  following  editorial  by  Archibald 
McLellan: 

"NONE  GOOD  BUT  ONE." 

Christian  Science  teaches,  as  did  Jesus,  that  "there  is 
none  good  but  one,  that  is,  God;"  and  when  students  of 
Christian  Science  are  not  so  taught  they  are  defrauded  of 
the  pure  teachings  of  Mrs.  Eddy.  That  some  students  have 
been  thus  defrauded  is  shown  by  the  following  excerpts 
from  a  composite  letter  written  by  a  representative  number 
of  students  to  their  teacher,  which  letter  has  secured  the 
commendation  of  this  teacher.     We  quote  as  follows: — 

"  Dear  teacher,  your  teaching  has  revealed  to  me  that, 
to  be  a  true  Christian  Scientist,  is  to  so  purify  my  own 
thought  that  I  can  be  subject  to  the  Head  of  the  Body  of 
God,  as  reflected  by  you.  Gratitude  is  expressed  only  as 
we  become  instantaneous  in  our  response  to  your  mental 
touch.     '  God  spake,  and  it  was  done."* 

"  May  a  purified  life  attest  the  endless  gratitude 

Editorial  ex-  .  .  . 

cerpts  from     I  fccl  for  the  manifestation  of  the  Christ  you  have 
"  Composite    given  US, while,  with  Mary  of  old  I  cry,  Rabboni — 
Teacher." 
"In    grateful    acknowledgment    of    your    example  and 
^  134 


Material  Concept  of  Composite  Letter    135 

teaching,  we,  as  members  of  your  body,  desire  to  offer  this 
evidence  of  our  intelligent  loyalty." 

"Your  unselfish  life,  fast  approaching  the  perfect  idea  of 
Love,  is  to  my  hungry  sense  of  Truth,  '  the  bread  of  heaven 
and  the  water  of  Life.'  Eating  this  bread  and  drinking 
this  water  is  to  me  eating  the  body  of  Christ,  and  drinking 
his  blood." 

"And  you,  our  blessed  teacher,  as  the  manifestation  of 
Truth.  .  .  .  Our  hearts  are  filled  with  gratitude  and  awe 
as  we  see  in  you  Christianity  demonstrated." 

"The  voice  of  the  Father-Mother  God  is  ever  speaking 
through  you." 

"Ever  on  upward  wing,  your  flight  in  supernal  order  has 
been  so  far  above  all  touch  of  the  finite, "  etc.,  etc. 

"Your  teaching,  demonstrated  by  us,  your  body,  con- 
stitutes the  true  furnishing  of  the  'upper  room,'  at  this 
paschal  meal,  in  'the  dawn  of  a  new  light'  (Science  and 
Health,  p.  35) — the  appearing  of  the  masculine  and  feminine 
of  God's  creating, — the  spiritual  idea,  the  perfect  man. " 

"You  are  known  to  us,  our  beloved  teacher,  by  words 
which  make  '  our  hearts  burn  within  us,'  and  we,  your  body, 
quickly  and  gratefully  respond." 

"We  recognize  the  wealth  of  inspiration  that  you  have 
imparted  to  us  from  the  highest  plane  of  consecration 
and  discernment  of  Truth,  the  radiation  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness." 

This  is  emphatically  not  Christian  Science,  and  Christian 
Scientists  will  note  in  these  quotations  phrases  for  which 
they  can  find  no  warrant  either  in  the  Scriptures  scientific  and 
or  in  any  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  writings,  phrases  which  scriptural  va- 
are  inexplicable  to  them  from  the  standpoint  of  '"*'*^  denied 
true  Christian  Science,  and  also  expressions  which,  in  the  light 
of  the  Scriptural  text  we  have  quoted,  no  human  being  should 
address  to  another  and  no  human  being  should  receive. 

A  real  Christian  Scientist  has  no  concept  of  God  or  Christ 
other  than  as  the  one  infinite  God  and  the  one  Christ  of  the 


136     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Scriptures.  A  human  individual  is  not  God  nor  His  Christ, 
and  no  mortal  on  earth  today  can  be  Christ.  Christ  is  the 
true  idea  of  the  one  and  only  God,  therefore  no  mortal  can 
be  the  idea  of  divine  Principle. 

Mrs.  Eddy  teaches  nothing  in  private  that  is  not  set 
forth  in  her  books,  and  thousands  of  her  students  will  attest 
this.  ^  She  claims  to  be  nothing  more  than  the  Discoverer 
and  Founder  of  Christian  Science,  and  of  herself  she  has 
written  in  the  Preface  to  Science  and  Health  (p. ix.) ,  "Today 
though  rejoicing  in  some  progress,  she  still  finds  herself  a 
willing  disciple  at  the  heavenly  gate,  waiting  for  the  Mind  of 
Christ."  There  is  no  uncertainty  about  Mrs.  Eddy's 
teachings  concerning  personality,  as  will  be  seen  from 
quotations  from  her  published  writings.  We  quote  from 
"Miscellaneous  Writings"  as  follows: — 

"Christian  Scientists  should  beware  of  unseen  snares, 
and  adhere  to  the  divine  Principle  and  rules  for  demon- 
stration. They  must  guard  against  the  deification  of 
finite  personality"  (p.  307). 

"  He  that  by  reason  of  human  love  or  hatred  or 

Deification 

of  physical       any  other  cause  clmgs  to  my  material  personality, 

personality      greatly  crrs,  stops  his  own  progress,  and  loses  the 

path  to  health,  happiness,  and  heaven"  (p.  308). 

"Christian  Science  is  taught  through  its  divine  Principle, 
which  is  invisible  to  corporeal  sense.  A  material  human 
likeness  is  the  antipode  of  man  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God.  Hence,  a  finite  person  is  not  the  model  for  a  meta- 
physician. I  earnestly  advise  all  Christian  Scientists  to 
remove  from  observation  or  study  the  personal  sense  of  any 
one,  and  not  to  dwell  in  thought  upon  their  own  or  others' 
corporeality,  either  as  good  or  evil"  (p.  308). 

"God's  interpretation  of  Himself  furnishes  man  with 
the  only  suitable  or  true  idea  of  Him ;  and  the  divine  defini- 
tion of  Deity  differs  essentially  from  the  human"  (p.  258). 

Again  we  read,  in  Science  and  Health,  "Mortals  are  not 
like  immortals,  created  in  God's  own  image"  (p.  295). 

'  See  page  368. 


Material  Concept  of  Composite  Letter    137 

"Earnestly  seek  the  spiritual  status  of  man,  which  is 
outside  of  all  material  selfhood"  (p.  476). 

"Man  is  the  likeness  of  Spirit,  but  a  material  personality 
is  not  this  likeness"  (p.  544). 

"In  founding  a  pathological  system  of  Christianity,  the 
author  has  labored  to  expound  divine  Principle,  and  not  to 
exalt  personality"  (p.  464). 

It  is  time  for  these  students  and  their  teacher,  and  other 
students  and  other  teachers,  if  there  be  any  in  practitioners 
the  same  belief,  to  awake  from  the  mesmerism  of  called  victims 

1.1,,  ,  1  •    J  •  J  i_j_-  •  J      of  mesmerism 

which  they  are  the  victims,  and,  putting  aside 
the  mistaken  views  of  personality  which  have  intervened 
to  obscure  their  clear  understanding  of  the  teachings  of 
Christian  Science,  follow  "the  true  Light,  which  lighteth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world. " 

Archibald  McLellan. 


The  "Composite  Letter"  of  which  the  above  editorial 
contained  only  certain  detached  excerpts  was  written  in 
the  language  of  those  who,  in  strict  accordance        ^  . .     . 

^       °  '  Spiritual 

with  the  teachings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  language 
regard  their  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  their  teacher,  j^^e^'prtld 
Mrs.  Stetson,  themselves,  and  all  men,  not  as 
mortals  but  as  spiritual  children  of  God,  as  immortal 
ideas  of  the  one  divine  Mind ;  not  meaning  thereby  that 
mortals  are  the  children  of  God,  but  referring  to  the 
spiritual  individuality  which  is  the  real  man.  Their 
language  is  not  therefore  to  be  judged  from  a  material 
standpoint. 

In  the  use  which  Mr.  McLellan,  as  Editor  of  the 
Christian  Science  Sentinel,  made  of  quotations  from 
these  letters,  we  regard  his  selections  as  inadequate  to  do 
justice  to  the  meaning  and  intent  of  the  writers,  and 
that  by  taking  the  excerpts  apart  from  the  letters,  a 
prejudicial  significance  was  given  to  the  portion  quoted. 


138     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  reader  may  judge  for  himself  to  what  extent 
this  criticism  appHes  by  the  following  parallel  arrange- 
criticismof  "lent  of  the  letters  and  the  excerpts  used 
use  of  excerpts  by  Mj-.  McLcllan  in  writing  the  editorial 
entitled,  "None  Good  but  One." 

The  reader  should  also  notice  to  what  extent  certain 
words  are  separated  from  their  context,  and  how  brief 
an  excerpt  is  used  in  some  cases  to  do  duty 
ra"gement"of  ^OT  the  wholc  letter.  It  will  furthermore  be 
letters  and  noticcd  that  whilc  most  of  the  letters  made 
reference  to  their  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy, 
yet  in  not  one  of  the  excerpts  does  Mrs.  Eddy's  name 
appear. 


Individual  letters  from 
which  Mr.  McLellan  made 
excerpts : 


Beloved    Teacher: — In 

grateful  acknowledgment  of 

your  example  and  teaching, 

we,   as   members 

Mrjerrall's    ^f  your  body  [stu- 

dent-body],  de- 
sire to  offer  this  evidence  of 
our  intelligent  loyalty.  For 
many  years  you  have  been 
fitting  us  to  fill  our  respec- 
tive places  in  our  Leader's 
(Christ's)  body,  and  during 
the  past  six  months  you 
have  daily  fed  us  with  the 
bread  of  heaven  and  the 
wine   of    inspiration    which 


Excerpts  used  by  Archi- 
bald McLellan  in  the  Chris- 
tian Science  Sentinel  of  July 
31,  1909: 

In  grateful  acknowledg- 
ment of  your  example  and 
teaching,  we,  as  members  of 
your  body,  desire  to  offer 
this  evidence  of  our  intelli- 
gent loyalty. 


Material  Concept  of  Composite  Letter    139 

you    have    inherited    from 
your  Teacher,  Mrs.  Eddy. 

We  bring  you  our  first- 
fruits  in  this  joyous  harvest 
hour,  knowing  that,  as  we 
bring  our  tithes  into  the 
storehouse,  God  will  pour 
out  His  unlimited  blessing. 
As  the  children  of  Israel 
stood,  staff  in  hand,  ready 
for  their  journey  out  of 
Egypt,  on  the  paschal  night, 
so  we  have  been  prepared 
and  equipped  through  your 
discipline  and  instruction  for 
the  final  journey  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage  of  material 
sense  into  the  promised  Land 
of  spiritual  freedom.  I 

(Signed)  Richard  P.  Verrall. 

The  word  "body"  to  which  Mr.  McLellan  apparently 
took  exception  is  employed  in  the  usual  sense  as  in  such 
phrases  as  "student  body,"  or  "body  politic."  Web- 
ster defines  the  word  "body"  as  "a  mass  of  individuals 
spoken  of  collectively,  usually  as  united  by  some 
common  tie,  or  organized  for  some  purpose."  Mr. 
McLellan  himself  used  it  in  the  Boston  "Conference," 
when  he  said:  "I  have  made  the  statement  myself,  I 
think,  that  the  body  of  people  in  First  Church,  New 
York,  have  been  referred  to  many  times  as  the  finest 
lot  of  people  on  the  face  of  the  globe. " 

You  have  led  us  to  heights 
Mrs.  Hoiden's  of  Spiritual  un- 
letter  derstanding 

where,  as  our  beloved  Leader 


140     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


tells  us,  "the  mortal  concept 
...  is  obliterated"  (Mes- 
sage, 1902).  May  a  puri- 
fied life  attest  the  endless 
gratitude  I  feel  for  the 
manifestation  of  the  Christ 
you  have  given  us,  while, 
with  Mary  of  old  I  cry, 
Rabboni — Teacher. 
(Signed)  Anna  A.  Holden. 


May  a  purified  life  attest 
the  endless  gratitude  I  feel 
for  the  manifestation  of  the 
Christ  you  have  given  us, 
while,  with  Mary  of  old  I 
cry,  Rabboni — Teacher. 


Here  the  objectionable  word,  presumably,  was  that 
of  "Rabboni,"  used  by  Mrs.  Holden  in  the  Biblical 
sense  of  spiritual  and  intellectual  guide  or  teacher  in  a 
school  of  thought. 


Mr.  Blome's 
letter 


Your  unselfish  life,  fast 
approaching  the  perfect  idea 
of  Love,  is  to 
my  hungry  sense 
for  Truth,  "the 
bread  of  heaven  and  the 
water  of  Life. "  Eating  this 
bread  and  drinking  this 
water  is  to  me  eating  the 
body  of  Christ,  and  drinking 
his  blood.  Loving  obedience 
to  your  guiding  thought  as 
my  teacher  has  given  me 
our  precious  Leader,  the 
forever  presence  of  the  liv- 
ing God.  In  this  I  have 
found  my  life  "with  Christ 
in  God,"  as  a  whole  mem- 
ber of  His  body.  My 
gratitude    to    you    is    the 


Your  unselfish  life,  fast 
approaching  the  perfect  idea 
of  Love,  is  to  my  hungry 
sense  of  Truth,  "the  bread 
of  heaven  and  the  water  of 
Life."  Eating  this  bread 
and  drinking  this  water  is  to 
me  eating  the  body  of  Christ, 
and  drinking  his  blood. 


Material  Concept  of  Composite  Letter    141 


burning    lamp    I     lovingly 
and  joyfully  tend. 
(Signed)     Arnold  Blome. 


If  Mr.  Blome  saw  in  his  teacher  enough  of  the  "  Mind 
.  .  .  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus,"  he  was  en- 
titled to  speak  truly  of  her  in  these  terms;  because, 
as  we  realize  one  another's  sonship  in  God,  we  are 
aware  of  each  other  as  "heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs 
with  Christ."  Mr.  McLellan's  objection  to  this 
language  is  apparently  based  on  scholastic  conceptions, 
in  which  God  is  made  manlike.  The  scientific  concep- 
tion which  Mr.  Blome  uses  makes  man  (the  spiritual 
individuality)  Godlike;  and  this  is  always  Hable  to 
bring  with  it  the  risk  of  the  charge  of  deification  of  the 
human.  In  the  excerpt,  the  very  sentence  is  omitted 
which  is  necessary  to  prevent  such  misleading. 


In  this  hour  of  revelation, 

the  life  of  Truth  and  Love, 

which   you    have 

Mrs.  Greene's      n      j.    j      j. 

letter  reflected    to    us, 

has  so  illumined 
our  consciousness  that  "the 
real  heaven  and  the  real 
earth"  are  appearing.  We 
behold  our  beloved  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  revealed 
to  our  waking  thought  as 
eternal  life,  and  you,  our 
blessed  teacher,  as  the  mani- 
festation of  Truth.  We 
behold  each  other  "  born, 
not  of  blood,  nor  of  the 
will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the 
will  of  man,  but  of  God," 


And  you,  our  blessed 
teacher,  as  the  manifesta- 
tion of  Truth.  .  .  .  Our 
hearts  are  filled  with  grati- 
tude and  awe  as  we  see  in 
you  Christianity  demon- 
strated. 


142      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


even  the  " '  male  and  female ' 
of  God's  creating"  {Science 
and  Health,  p.  249),  and  the 
whole  universe  as  the  com- 
pound idea  of  Spirit,  each 
individual  member  partak- 
ing of  the  whole  nature  of 
God,  "in  which  passion  has 
no  part"  (Science  and  Health, 
p.  64).  "Old  things  are 
passed  away:  behold,  all 
things  are  become  new." 
Our  hearts  are  filled  with 
gratitude  and  awe  as  we  see, 
in  you,  Christian  Science 
demonstrated.  "This  is  the 
new  understanding  of  spirit- 
ual Love.  It  gives  all  for 
Christ,  or  Truth.  It  blesses 
its  enemies,  heals  the  sick, 
casts  out  error,  raises  the 
dead  from  trespasses  and 
sins,  and  preaches  the  gos- 
pel to  the  poor,  the  meek 
in  heart"  {Science  and 
Health,  p.  33). 
(Signed)  Letitia  H.  Greene. 

Here,  "with  the  upper 
chambers  of  thought  pre- 
pared for  the  re- 
ception of  Truth" 
(Mary  Baker 
Eddy),  the  voice  of  the 
Father- Mother  God  is  ever 
speaking  through  you. 
Every   one   that  is    of  the 


Mr.  Davis's 
letter 


The  voice  of  the  Father- 
Mother  God  is  ever  speak- 
ing through  you. 


Material  Concept  of  Composite  Letter    143 


Truth  heareth  and  answer- 
eth  with  increasing  joy  and 
gratitude.  Thus  the  light 
of  Life,  Truth,  and  Love 
illumines  not  only  us  but  the 
entire  universe,  unto  the 
perfect  day  of  Christ,  "of 
the  increase  of  his  [whose] 
government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end."  Thus  is 
fulfilled  the  prophecy  and 
promise  of  our  beloved 
Leader — "never-ending  suc- 
cess" in  demonstration  of 
Emmanuel. 
(Signed)     Hayne  Davis. 


In  the  excerpts  from  the  letters  of  Letitia  H.  Greene, 
Hayne  Davis,  and  Edwin  F.  Hatfield,  it  will  be  noted 
that  certain  words  only  were  taken  from  the  letters  and 
separated  from  their  context. 


Mrs.  Fresh- 
man's letter 


Ever  on  upward  wing, 
your  flight  in  supernal  order 
has  been  so  far 
above  all  touch 
of  the  finite,  that 
I  hear  the  echo  of  response 
through  the  invisible  choir 
singing,  "Well  done,  good 
and  faithful "  teacher;  "enter 
thou  into  the  joy"  prepared 
by  our  Leader  for  you, — a 
patient,  steadfast  watcher, 
"watching  out." 
(Signed)  Mary  H.  Freshman 


Ever  on  upward  wing, 
your  flight  in  supernal  order 
has  been  so  far  above  all 
touch  of  the  finite,  etc.,  etc. 


144     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


Miss  Young's 
letter 


Your     teaching,  demon- 
strated  by   us,    your   body 
[student-body], 
constitutes       the 
true  furnishing 
of    the    "upper   room,"    at 
this  paschal  meal,  in   "the 
dawn  of  a  new  light"  (Sci- 
ence and  Health,    p.    35) — 
the  appearing  of  the  mascu- 
line and  feminine  of  God's 
creating, — the  spiritual  idea, 
the  perfect  man. 
(Signed) 
Ella  Garrison  Young, 
Second  Reader. 


You  are  known  to  us,  our 
beloved  teacher,  by  words 
which  make  "our 
hearts  burn  with- 
in us,"  and  we, 
your  body  [student-body], 
quickly  and  gratefully  re- 
spond. In  the  words  of  our 
beloved  Leader, "  Glory  be  to 
God,  and  peace  to  the  strug- 
gling hearts!  Christ  hath 
rolled  away  the  stone  from 
the  door  of  human  hope  and 
faith,  and  through  the  reve- 
lation and  demonstration  of 
life  in  God,  hath  elevated 
them  to  possible  at-one-ment 
with  the  spiritual  idea  of 
man  and  his    divine   Prin- 


Miss  Ens- 
worth's  letter 


Your  teaching,  demon- 
strated by  us,  your  body, 
constitutes  the  true  furnish- 
ing of  the  "upper  room,"  at 
this  paschal  meal,  in  "the 
dawn  of  a  new  light"  (Sci- 
ence and  Health,  p.  35), — 
the  appearing  of  the  mascu- 
line and  feminine  of  God's 
creating, — the  spiritual  idea, 
the  perfect  man. 


You  are  known  to  us,  our 
beloved  teacher,  by  words 
which  make  "our  hearts  burn 
within  us,"  and  we,  your 
body,  quickly  and  gratefully 
respond. 


Material  Concept  of  Composite  Letter     145 


ciple,    Love"    {Science   and 

Health,  p.  45). 

(Signed) 

Antoinette  L.  Ensworth. 

Dear  teacher,  your  teach- 
ing has  revealed  to  me  that, 

to  be  a  true  Chris- 
utt'ef'^'^      tian  Scientist,  is 

to  so  purify  my 
own  thought  that  I  can  be 
subject  to  the  head  of  the 
body  of  God,  as  reflected  by 
you.  Gratitude  is  expressed 
only  as  we  become  instan- 
taneous in  our  response  to 
your  mental  touch.  "God 
spake,  and  it  was  done." 
(Signed)  Harry  E.  Fink. 

In  the  unity  of  Love,  as 

children  of  the  one  Father^ 

members   of    the 

Mr.  Hatfield's  •     •  j.         i 

letter  ^^e      spiritual 

body,  we  recog- 
nize the  wealth  of  inspiration 
that  you  have  imparted  to  us 
from  the  highest  plane  of  con- 
secration and  discernment 
of  Truth,  the  radiation  of 
the  "Sun  of  righteousness." 
Nothing  can  measure  the  sub- 
lime importance  of  the  real, 
the  contact  with  "the  deep 
things  of  God,"  the  under- 
standing of  Man's  relation 
with   the   divine   Principle. 


Dear  teacher,  your  teach- 
ing has  revealed  to  me  that, 
to  be  a  true  Christian  Scien- 
tist, is  to  so  purify  my  own 
thought  that  I  can  be  sub- 
ject to  the  Head  of  the 
Body  of  God,  as  reflected 
by  you.  Gratitude  is  ex- 
pressed only  as  we  become 
instantaneous  in  our  re- 
sponse to  your  mental  touch. 
"God  spake,  and  it  was 
done." 


We  recognize  the  wealth 
of  inspiration  that  you  have 
imparted  to  us  from  the 
highest  plane  of  consecra- 
tion and  discernment  of 
Truth,  the  radiation  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness. 


146      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


You  bear  always  the  stand- 
ard    of     Christian    Science 

aloft,  and  urging  our  advance 

into  more  light  and  greater 

attainment,  so  following  our 

Leader     "as     she     follows 

Christ."  ^  Our  sincere  appre- 
ciation of  your  grand  work 

of  self-sacrifice  and  devotion, 

steadfast  courage  and  power 

is  slightly  expressed  in   the 

accompanying    offering 

which  we  ask  you  to  accept 

with  our  warmest  love  and 

loyalty. 

(Signed)  Edwin  F.  Hatfield,  Chairman  of  Board  of 
Trustees,  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York 
City,  and  Mrs.  Stetson's  student  for  twenty-one 
years. 

Finally,  it  should  be  said  that  these  letters  were  the 
expression  of  those  who  were  striving  to  follow  the 
injunction  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
to  build  "on  a  wholly  spiritual  foundation," — that 
"  Spirit  is  infinite ;  therefore  Spirit  is  all.''  ^  From  that 
intimate  view-point  they  are  entitled  to  be  judged. 

^  Message  for  1901,  page  70. 

»  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xi.,  page  390. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  COMPOSITE  LETTER— HOW  ORIGINATED 
AND  WHAT  IT  WAS 

In  the  early  part  of  July,  1909,  it  was  proposed 
among  the  practitioners  who  attended  the  twelve 
o'clock  meetings,  to  unite  in  presenting  to  o  •  •  f 
Mrs.  Stetson  some  gift  of  an  appropriate  "Composite 
character  as  a  slight  expression  of  their 
appreciation  of  her  work.  This  suggestion  met  with  a 
ready  response.  In  the  most  natural  way  it  was 
proposed  to  make  the  gift  one  of  gold. 

This  being  agreed  upon  among  the  practitioners,  the 
suggestion  was  made  that  each  should  also  put  in 
written  form  some  expression  of  his  or  her  ^^  jj^  ^^^  ^^ 
appreciation  of  the  benefits  derived  from  expression  of 
attendance  upon  these  meetings.  The  tan-  s"^^  ' "  ^ 
gible  contribution  of  gold  was  thus  very  appropriately 
supplemented  by  a  brief  statement,  in  the  form  of 
letters,  indicative  of  what  these  meetings  had  meant 
to  them.  All  this  was  done  without  any  intimation 
to  Mrs.  Stetson  that  such  a  testimonial  was  in  prepara- 
tion. The  proposal  was  made  at  a  meeting,  at  which 
Mrs.  Stetson  was  not  present,  and  carried  out  in  the 
course  of  less  than  half  an  hour,  late  in  the  afternoon  of 
Friday,  July  9,  1909.  The  expressions  which  each 
practitioner  used  in  his  or  her  letter  to  Mrs.  Stetson 
were  entirely  impromptu,  and  it  is  apparent  that  in  the 

147 


148     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

wording  of  these  letters  they  were  influenced  by  the 
thought  of  the  Communion  service  which  was  to  be 
held  on  the  following  Sunday,  July  11,  1909.  The 
whole  matter  was  a  spontaneous  manifestation  of 
devotedness  to  a  Cause  in  which  teacher  and  student 
had  worked  together  for  years. 

The  expressions  used  in  each  letter  are  peculiar,  in  a 

number   of   instances,    to   the   language   of   Christian 

Science,  and  in  other  respects  the  phraseology 

tions  of  is   indicative   of   a   high    degree   of   benefit 

teacher  and     (Jerivcd  from  advanccd  spiritual  instruction. 

student  ^      ^  _  -^ 

To  this  is  to  be  attributed  the  quality  mani- 
fested in  some  of  the  contrasts  and  comparisons;  for 
instance,  where  the  expression  is  used,  "May  a  purified 
life  attest  the  endless  gratitude  I  feel  for  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Christ  you  have  given  us,"  there  is  no 
intimation  that  Mrs.  Stetson  was  regarded  in  the  place 
of  Jesus  the  Christ,  but  that  in  her  work,  with  them  as 
practitioners,  she  was  manifesting  the  spiritual  con- 
sciousness, or  what  St.  Paul  calls  the  "Mind  of  Christ." 
Likewise  when  Arnold  Blome  refers  to  the  Truth  as  the 
"bread  of  heaven  and  the  water  of  Life,"  and  says: 
"Eating  this  bread  and  drinking  this  water  is  to  me 
eating  the  body  of  Christ,  and  drinking  his  blood,"  the 
consciousness  of  life  "with  Christ  in  God"  is  the 
dominating  thought. 

Mrs.  Mary  H.  Freshman,  one  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 
earliest  students,  used  the  expression:  "Ever  on  upward 
wing,  your  flight  in  supernal  order  has  been  so  far 
above  all  touch  of  the  finite,  that  I  hear  the  echo  of 

response  through  the  invisible  choir  singing, 
of  spiritual  'Well  done,  good  and  faithful'  teacher; 
exaltation  'enter  thou  into  the  joy'  prepared  by  our 
Leader  for  you, — a  patient,  steadfast  watcher,  '  watch- 


The  Composite  Letter  i49 

ing  out. ' "  As  a  declaration  of  the  spiritual  exaltation 
in  which  these  practitioners  frequently  dwelt  at  their 
noonday  meeting,  the  foregoing  can  be  readily  under- 
stood. 

The  judgment  of  the  Christian  world  may  find  in 
these  expressions  the  very  quahties  which  are  hardest 
to  develop,  namely,  gratitude  for  help  rendered, 
appreciation  for  the  exposition  of  the  Truth  that  has 
brought  freedom  and  spiritual  might,  and  assurance  of 
unmeasured  benefit,  in  return  for  which  the  complete 
practitioners  were  now  making  a  loving  ac-  remaTning 
knowledgment  to  a  beloved  teacher.  The  practitioners 
following  are  the  letters  of  the  remaining  practitioners 
which  were  not  quoted  in  the  editorial : 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
I  West  96TH  Street,  July  10,  1909. 


Your  dear  love  has  led  us  to  the  "upper  chamber"  where 
we  rest  with  you,  our  guide — and  there  we  hear  our  beloved 
Leader's  voice  saying: 

"Beneath  the  shadow  of  His  mighty  wing; 

In  that  sweet  secret  of  the  narrow  way, 

Seeking  and  finding,  with  the  angels  sing: 

'  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, ' — watch  and  pray." 
Miscellaneous  Writings,  page  389. 
(Signed)     Margaret  Beecher  White. 

"And  afterward  shall  they  come  out  with  great  sub- 
stance" (Gen.  XV.,  14).  Through  your  teaching  as  the 
reflection  of  the  Word  given  by  our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs. 
Eddy,  we  are  gaining  the  substance  of  joy  and  gladness,  and 
the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  With  purified  hearts  we 
offer  you  our  love  and  gratitude. 

(Signed)     M.  Augusta  Aikman. 


I50     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

You  have  revealed  to  us  our  beloved  Leader  and  man  in 
God's  image.     Let  us  express  to  you,  in  the  new  tongue  that 
you  have  taught  us,  a  love  that  will  manifest  the  substance 
that  brings  understanding  of  the  endless  more  and  more. 
(Signed)     Sarah  W.  Hathaway. 

"The  incarnation  of  Truth,  that  ampHfication  of  wonder 
and  glory  which  angels  could  only  whisper  and  which  God 
illustrated  by  light  and  harmony,  is  consonant  with  ever- 
present  Love,"  our  holy  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  tells  us  in 
Science  and  Health,  page  501.  This  ever-present  Love  has 
been  expressed  through  your  spiritual  understanding  and 
demonstration  of  man.  You  have  taken  us  back  into  the 
real  garden  of  Eden  where  we  can  hear  God's  voice  and 
answer  with  rejoicing. 

(Signed)     Kate  Y.  Remer. 

The  freedom  gained  by  the  recognition  of  true  unity, 
one  with  Principle,  which  separates  from  finite  personality, 
has  led  us  up  to  the  wholly  spiritual  idea  of  man,  the  Christ 
consciousness,  which  gives  us  dominion  over  all  the  earth. 
The  joy  of  radiating  this  light  of  spiritual  understanding  is 
heaven,  and  the  gratitude  to  you,  dear  teacher,  which  we 
feel  for  this  revelation  of  our  loved  Leader's  body,  and  our 
individual  membership  therein,  is  beyond  expression. 

(Signed)     Catherine  B.  Gillpatrick. 

Again  "the  morning  stars  sing  together"  in  this  "high 
morn"  {Christ  and  Christmas).  Truth  has  knocked  and 
has  entered,  for  the  ideal  man  has  appeared,  and  divine 
Science  is  demonstrated. 

(Signed)     Jessie  Tuttle  Colton. 

Jesus  said,  "Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart  [thought]: 
for  they  shall  see  God. "  Our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy, 
tells  us,  "The  seed  within  itself  is  the  pure  thought  emanat- 
ing from  divine  Mind"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  508).  You, 
dear  teacher,  have  enabled  us  to  realize  the  God-given 


The  Composite  Letter  151 

purity  of  the  complete  man,  worked  out  through  these  two. 
Thus  we  discern  you  as  the  fruit  of  the  true  seed. 

(Signed)     Margaret  Duncan. 

We,  as  conscious  members  of  the  divine  body,  in  response 
to  the  Hving  Christ,  the  head,  radiate  individual  thoughts, 
eternal  substance,  which  comprise  the  rich  furnishing  of  the 
"large  upper  room,"  a  mansion  in  the  Father's  house, 
spiritual  building  made  without  hands,  eternal  things 
brought  to  light  by  this  living,  ever-present  Christ. 

(Signed)     Ida  Constance  Pope. 

Your  marvelous  teaching  has  revealed  to  my  listening 
ear  the  melody  of  heaven,  and  I  lose  the  finite  sense  of  self, 
and  find  my  "sense  in  Soul."  Thus  as  I  respond  to  your 
infinite  touch,  in  the  words  of  our  holy  Leader,  the  divine 
Mind  sends  forth  "its  own  sweet  harmonies. " 

(Signed)     Mary  Reno  Pinney. 

Organist. 

Your  wonderful  reflection  of  divine  Love  has  given  me  a 
clear  sense  of  my  place  in  the  body,  the  wonderful  law  and 
order  of  spiritual  generation,  wherein  we  find  our  heritage 
as  sons  of  God.  It  also  has  revealed  the  necessity  of  a 
ready  response  to  the  outpouring  of  this  Love,  in  order  to 
receive  and  partake  of  the  substance  bread,  which  alone 
can  sustain  and  refresh,  and  to  drink  the  wine  of  inspiration 
for  our  daily  work. 

(Signed)     Amelia  S.  Rowbotham. 

The  baptism  of  Spirit  has  descended  upon  us,  washing 
away  the  impurities  of  mortal  belief.  You  have  illumined 
thought  with  the  light  of  Love,  feeding  us  with  the  bread 
of  heaven.  We  have  walked  and  talked  with  our  beloved 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  through  you.  Our  Christ  consciousness 
is  lifted  up  and  strengthened  with  Truth  and  Love,  and  we 
are  made  a  law  to  ourselves. 

(Signed)     Steuart  C.  Rowbotham. 


152      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

In  glorious  splendor  from  seven-hued  white, 

Our  Leader  is  rending  the  chaos  of  night. 

She  has  called  in  the  desert,  Come,  faithful  and  true, 

And  I  will  reveal  you  in  heavenly  hue. 

Then  forth  came  our  teacher,  who  knows  only  right, 

With  armor  and  sword  of  the  Spirit  made  bright. 

Though  tempest-tossed  oft,  always  loyal  to  good, 

Ever  close  to  our  Leader  has  faithfully  stood. 

Thus  bringing  her  lambkins  and  sheep  from  the  wold, 

She  has  blended  our  hearts  in  Christ's  loving  fold. 

(Signed)     Arthur  E,  Overbury. 

Jesus  said,  "Ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall 
make  you  free. "  We,  your  students,  are  diligently  striving, 
with  your  help,  to  attain  to  that  understanding  of  Truth, 
revealed  to  humanity  in  this  age  of  our  great  Leader,  as  will 
enable  us  to  prove  its  divine  Principle  by  living  the  life  and 
doing  the  works  of  our  Master. 

(Signed)    Virgil  Ormond  Strickler, 

First  Reader. 


By  the  operation  of  Spirit,  our  blessed  Leader,  through 
you,  dear  teacher,  has  called  the  body  and  we  respond. 
Thus  Life,  Truth,  and  Love,  in  utter  union,  is  manifested  as 
the  "Adorable  One"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  16).  Here 
man  appears  as  neither  male  nor  female,  but  as  compound 
idea,  occupying  infinity,  and  crowned  with  immortality. 

(Signed)     Sibyl  Marvin  Huse. 

My  heartfelt  gratitude  to  you,  my  blessed  teacher,  who  has 
led  me  safely  through  the  wilderness  of  sin  and  sorrow,  and 
has  shown  me  the  path  of  holiness  which  leads  to  the 
heights  where  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
lives. 

(Signed)     Mary  E.  Pearson. 


The  Composite  Letter  i53 

When  the  gift,  accompanying  their  written  expression 
of  appreciation,  was  presented  to  Mrs.  Stetson  on  the 
morning  of  July  lo,  it  proved  to  be  an  en-  ^^^^^  ^^^^^_ 
tire  surprise  to  her.  These  letters,  replete  ances  of  ad- 
with  assurances  of  loyalty  to  both  Leader  ^u°"ejg7andrng 
and  teacher,  led  Mrs.  Stetson  to  the  spon-    were  sent  to 

,  the  Leader 

taneous  suggestion  that  the  letters  be  copied 

and  forwarded  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  together  with  the  gift  of 

gold  which  had  been  collected  for  Mrs.  Stetson. 

In  doing  this,  Mrs.  Stetson  stated  that  she  felt  it 

would  be  a  satisfaction  to  her  Leader  and  Teacher  to 

read    these   expressions   of   loyalty    to   the   Cause   of 

Christian   Science   and   its   Discoverer   and   Founder, 

Mary  Baker  Eddy,  to  which  Cause  Mrs.  Stetson  and 

this  group  of  practitioners  were  consecrated  by  training, 

study,  and  spiritual  demonstration   of  divine   Truth. 

The  gift  of  gold  and  the  letters,  accompanied  by  the 

following  letter  of  transmittal  from  Mrs.  Stetson  to  the 

Leader,  were  accordingly  sent  by  special  messenger  that 

same  evening: 

I  West  96TH  Street,  New  York  City, 
July  10,  1909. 

My  precious  Leader: — I  have  just  this  morning  received 
these  letters  and  the  box  from  twenty-five  practitioners  in 
our  church  Reading  Room.  They  were  a  great  ..  oemonstra- 
surprise  to  me,  and  were  written  hurriedly  at  tion  of  the 
the  suggestion  of  one  student.  No  one  knew 
what  the  others  had  written.  I  have  had  Mr.  H.  .  .  copy 
these  letters  and  the  students  have  signed  them.  Thus 
you  may  read  them  more  readily.  They  make  a  letter 
which  you  will  appreciate  as  demonstration  of  the  one 
Mind;  all  "of  one  accord  in  one  place."  They  were  sent 
to  me  as  expressions  of  loving  gratitude  the  day  before  our 
Communion  service.  I  feel  they  belong  to  you,  dearest, 
and  are  your  fruit;  for  without  your  divine  instruction  and 


154     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Christly  guidance  I  should  not  have  had  them,  so  I  send 
this  copy  of  the  dear  letters  to  you,  with  the  type  of  the 
gold  of  human  character  which  is  fast  melting  into  spiritual 
understanding  in  each  of  these  students. 

You  asked  me  years  ago  this  question,  "Augusta,  lovest 
thou  me?"  I  answered,  "Yes,  beloved  Leader,  I  love  you." 
"These are  Again  you  repeated  the  query,  "Lovest  thou 
thine, Holy  me?"  and  again  I  repHed,  "Yes,  I  love  you,  my 
°°®"  Leader,  Teacher,   and  Guide  to  eternal  Life." 

Then  you  said,  "Feed  my  sheep."  I  have  earnestly  and 
prayerfully  endeavored  to  do  this.  These  are  thine,  Holy 
One;  I  trust  they  are  all  strong  in  Christ,  and  are  ar- 
mored with  spiritual  understanding  and  love  to  meet  the 
tests  that  are  before  them  in  this  crucial  hour.  They  are 
daily  going  forth  to  battle  with  the  beast  and  the  false 
prophet,  confident  that  Christ  goes  before  them  to  de- 
stroy the  claim  of  lust  and  hypocrisy,  and  to  reveal  God 
and  His  body — the  spiritual  universe.  May  none  fall 
away !  They  desire  to  honor  you,  our  great  forever  Leader; 
they  have  come  up  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have 
washed  their  robes. 

I  feel  that  my  prayers  and  my  alms  are  come  up  before 
God.  We  are  observing  your  advice  in  the  Manual,  Article 
XXX.,  Section  7,  and  are  rejoicing  that  "the  devils  are 
subject  unto  us  through  thy  name. "  These  are  evidences 
of  the  preparation  made  in  "the  large  upper  room,"  where 
the  last  supper  may  be  eaten,  when  we  are  ready  to 
receive  the  ascended  One  coming  to  his-her  own  never  to 
depart. 

During  our  Communion  service  to-morrow  we  shall  look 
for  the  "reappearing"  of  our  Lord,  and  shall  silently 
"commune  with  the  divine  Principle,  Love"  (Science  and 
Health,  p.  35). 

Precious  Leader,  my  love  for  you  is  inexpressible.     God 
grant  my  constant  prayer  that  I  may  be  worthy  to  be  called 
Your  faithful,  obedient,  loving  child, 

Augusta. 


The  Composite  Letter  155 

How  Mrs.  Eddy  received  this  gift  is  told  in  the  same 
kindly  Christian  spirit  in  which  the  gift  and  let- 
ters were  sent.  Her  response,  dated  Brook-  j^^.^  ^^^  .^ 
line,  Mass.,  July  12,  1909,  and  published  Wndiy  ac- 
in  the  Sentinel  of  July  17,  is  given  below:         °°^  ^  ^°^^^ 


Box  G,  Brookline,  Mass., 
July   12,   1909. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  New  York  City. 

Beloved  Student: — I  have  just  finished  reading  your 
interesting  letter.  I  thank  you  for  acknowledging  me  as 
your  Leader,  and  I  know  that  every  true  follower  of 
Christian  Science  abides  by  the  definite  rules  which 
demonstrate  the  true  following  of  their  Leader;  there- 
fore, if  you  are  sincere  in  your  protestations  and  are 
doing  as  you  say  you  are,  you  will  be  blessed  in  your 
obedience. 

The  Scriptures  say,  "Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not 
into  temptation."  You  are  aware  that  animal  magnetism 
is  the  opposite  of  divine  Science,  and  that  this 
opponent  is  the  means  whereby  the  conflict  ***^j^*°» 
against  Truth  is  engendered  and  developed. 
Beloved!  you  need  to  watch  and  pray  that  the  enemy  of 
good  cannot  separate  you  from  your  Leader  and  best  earthly 
friend. 

You  have  been  duly  informed  by  me  that,  however  much 
I  desire  to  read  all  that  you  send  to  me,  I  have  not  the  time 
to  do  so.  The  Christian  Science  Publishing  Society  will 
settle  the  question  whether  or  not  they  shall  publish  your 
poems.  It  is  part  of  their  duties  to  relieve  me  of  so  much 
labor. 

I  thank  you  for  the  money  you  send  me  which  was  given 
you  by  your  students.  I  shall  devote  it  to  a  worthy  and 
charitable  purpose. 

Mr.  Adam  Dickey  is  my  secretary,  through  whom  all  my 
business  is  transacted. 


156     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Give  my  best  wishes  and  love  to  your  dear  students  and 
church. 

Lovingly  your  teacher  and  Leader, 

Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

The  so-called  "Composite  Letter"  was  completed 
and  sent  to  the  Leader  with  the  gift  of  gold  on  Saturday, 
July  10, 1909.  They  were  delivered  at  the  home  of  Mrs. 
Eddy  at  Brookline,  on  Sunday  morning,  July  11.  On 
the  1 2th,  Monday,  the  Leader  acknowledged  their  re- 
ceipt in  the  letter  set  forth  above.  In  that  letter  of 
Mrs.  Eddy's,  the  appreciation  and  kindly  counsel  of  the 
head  of  the  Church  to  a  devoted  band  of  followers 
found  expression.  The  motive  of  the  several  writers 
and  of  the  sender  was  in  no  sense  miscon- 
Loyaity  to       strued,  bccause  Mary  Baker  Eddy  knew  too 

Leader,  the  .  ,     ,  - 

keynote  of  wcll  the  testcd  integrity  of  the  one  whom  she 
Le^tte'^-'*'''^  addressed  in  that  letter  as  "Beloved  Student," 
and  through  whom  she  sent  "best  wishes 
and  love  to  your  dear  students  and  church. "  That  was 
the  normal  attitude  of  the  Leader  toward  followers  in 
whom  loyalty  was  the  keynote  of  their  character. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    PHYSICAL    VERSUS    THE    SPIRITUAL 
PERSONALITY 

The  Leader's  letter  of  July  12,  1909,  to  Mrs.  Stetson, 
brought  out  a  clear  line  of  cleavage  among  adherents  to 
Christian  Science  into  two  great  divisions  of  thought. 
One  of  these  was  fittingly  expressed  in  the  Leader's 
letter  as  referred  to  above.  Mrs.  Eddy  took  the  spirit- 
ual view  of  these  letters  which  were  written  from  the 
premise  of  a  wholly  spiritual  consciousness  and  man 
as  spiritual  idea.  From  the  spiritual  standpoint  this 
"Composite  Letter"  was  a  normal  expression  of  spirit- 
ual advancement  away  from  the  human  concept  of 
physical  personality  and  personal  relation. 

From  that  view-point  the  Leader  saw  no  occasion  for 
warning  teacher  or  students  to  any  further  extent  than 
to  say  "Beloved !  you  need  to  watch  and  pray 
that  the  enemy  of  good  cannot  separate  you  port  of  the 
from  your  Leader  and  best  earthly  friend,"  Leader's 
at  the  same  time  expressing  her  confidence 
in  Mrs.  Stetson  by  the  recognition  that  "You  are  aware 
that  animal  magnetism  is  the  opposite  of  divine  Science, 
and  that  this  opponent  is  the  means  whereby  the 
conflict  against  Truth  is  engendered  and  developed." 
Did  not  this  signify  that  Mrs.  Eddy  knew  that  Mrs. 
Stetson  was  alert  to  the  working  and  subtlety  of 
animal  magnetism? 

157 


158     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  majority  of  students 
of  Mrs.  Stetson  shared  the  spiritual  understanding  of 
^    ^.  ^.         the  scientific  relation  of  teacher  to  student. 

Connictiag 

concepts  of  Out  of  the  twcnty-five  practitioners,  nine- 
personaity  ^^^^  ^£  them  wcrc  SO  clcar  in  their  own 
thought  on  this  subject  that  their  understanding  of  this 
spiritual  relation  could  not  be  reversed.  On  the  secure 
foundation  of  spiritual  personality  or  individuality 
they  were  enabled  at  every  turn  of  the  controversy  and 
in  every  condition  of  mental  experience,  not  only  to 
distinguish  between  what  was  false  and  what  was  real, 
but  also  to  be  prepared  to  withstand  any  attempt  at 
reversal  of  Truth. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  were  six  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 
students  among  the  contributors  to  the  "Composite 
Letter"  who,  failing  to  observe  the  distinction  between 
the  material  and  the  spiritual  personality,  were  not 
prepared    to    protect    themselves    against    confusion. 

They,  under  the  test  which  came  later,  fell 
concept  a  back  upou  the  material  concept,  and  from 
source  of        ^j^g^^  vicw-point   sat  in  judgment  adversely 

on  their  own  contributions  to  the  "Composite 
Letter."  It  was  for  them  that  Mr.  McLellan's  edi- 
torial had  a  meaning  and  a  reason  for  existence ;  because 
they,  whether  consciously  or  unconsciously,  discovered 
themselves  adhering  to  a  human  concept  of  their 
teacher,  from  which  the  Leader  deemed  it  wise  to  call 
them  to  awake,  in  the  letter  of  July  23,  1909  {Chris- 
tian Science  Sentinel,  October  16,  1909).  That  letter, 
though  addressed  to  Mrs.  Stetson  as  the  Leader's 
student,  was  intended  both  for  her  as  teacher,  and  for 
her  students,  because  of  the  Leader's  foresight  that,  if 
the  human  concept  of  personality  in  the  teacher- 
student  relation  were  allowed  to  exist,  it  must  involve 


Physical  vs.  Spiritual  Personality      159 

danger     to     all     concerned.      The     letter     read     as 
follows: 


Brookline,  Mass.,  July  23,  1909. 

My  Dear  Student: — Awake  and  arise  from  this  temptation 
produced  by  animal  magnetism  upon  yourself,  allowing 
your  students  to  deify  you  and  me.  Treat  your- 
self for  it  and  get  your  students  to  help  you  rise  ^^*^/f.'^"g^' 
out  of  it.  It  will  be  your  destruction  if  you  do  and  arise" 
not  do  this.  Answer  this  letter  immediately. 
As  ever,  lovingly  your  teacher, 

(Signed)     Mary  Baker  Eddy. 


The  above  letter  points  out  with  remarkable  direct- 
ness the  kind  of  error  to  which  the  human  concept  of 
personality   leads.     The   primary   object   of 

"l  1  TV  T  Perilous 

Mrs.  Eddy  s  letter  was  to  release  Mrs.  undertow  of 
Stetson,  her  own  student,  from  the  perilous  deig^aUon 
undertow  of  any  tendency  to  deify  the  human 
on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  students.  It  really  adds 
substance  to  what  was  contained  in  the  second  para- 
graph of  the  Leader's  letter  of  acknowledgment  of 
July  12,  and  defines  more  clearly  the  specific  form  of 
temptation  which  has  to  be  resisted  to  avoid  the  fatal 
consequences  of  subordinating  the  spiritual  to  the 
human  concept  of  personality. 

Mrs.  Stetson's  answer,  which  the  Leader's  letter 
called  for  "immediately,"  went  by  the  mail  of  July  24, 
or  the  same  day  on  which  the  Leader's  letter  of  the 
previous  day  was  received.  This  answer  was  never 
published  in  any  of  the  official  organs  of  The 
Mother  Church,  but  is  given  in  complete  form  here- 
with. 


i6o     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

In  this  letter  Mrs.  Stetson  states  her  own  under- 
standing:  (i)   The  relation  of  her  Leader  to  herself, 
(2)  the  relation  of  herself  as  teacher  to  her 

Threefold  .  i/ni  ,-  r    rr^         1 

aspect  of  Mrs.  stuQcnts,  and  (3)  the  relation  of  Truth  or 
stetson's        Spiritual    power,   as    she    understands    her 

answer  ^  . 

Leader's  teachings,  in  its  bearing  on  human 
conditions.  This  letter  is  vital  with  obedience  in  every 
line: 

7  West  96TH  Street,  New  York  City, 
July  24,  1909. 

Reverend  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 

Chestnut  Hill,  Brookline,  Mass. 

My  precious  Leader: — Your  dear  letter  of  to-day  is  before 
me.  I  thank  you  for  your  continued  watch-care  during 
this  perilous  passage  (through  material  sense  to  Soul)  from 
the  will  of  the  flesh,  or  human  energy,  which  embodies  itself 
in  physical  personality,  to  the  will  of  God,  or  divine  energy, 
which  dissolves  finite  personality  together  with  all  the 
phenomena  of  the  carnal  mind,  and  reveals  Spirit,  God,  as 
the  only  creator,  and  man  as  His  image  and  likeness,  the 
compound  idea  or  divine  personality,  the  reflection  of  the 
infinite  Person. 

In  your  Message  to  The  Mother  Church  for  1901,  page  41, 
I  read: 

"Do  Christian  Scientists  believe  in  personality?  They  do, 
"  Personality  ^^^  their  personality  is  defined  spiritually,  not 
is  defined  materially — by  Mind,  not  by  matter.  We  do  not 
spintu  y  y^^  ^^^  ^j^g  material  race  of  Adam,  but  leave  all 
sin  to  God's  fiat— self -extinction,  and  to  the  final  manifes- 
tation of  the  real  spiritual  man  and  universe.  We  believe, 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  that  God  is  infinite  Spirit  or 
Person,  and  man  is  His  image  and  likeness:  therefore  man 
refiects  Spirit,  not  matter. " 

I  have  always  tried  to  teach  my  students  to  differentiate 


Physical  vs.  Spiritual  Personality      i6i 

between  finite  and  infinite  personality,  between  the  physical 
personality,  which  is  the  image  of  the  beast  or  so-called 
mortal  mind,  specifically  named  animal  magnetism,  and 
the  divine  personality,  which  is  the  image  of  God — the 
spiritual  idea  or  Christ.  By  failing  to  discern  For  lack  of 
this  difference  some  of  my  students  in  the  past  spiritual 

,,       ,,  ,  discernment 

have   lost       the   way.  Jesus    demonstrated        some  lost 

Christ"     (Science    and    Health,    p.    332).     He  the  way 

showed  the  way  by  which  humanity  could  escape  from  the 
bondage  of  fleshly  personality;  he  designated  the  Christ  as 
"  the  way"  when  he  said,  "  No  man  cometh  unto  the  Father, 
but  by  me,"  and  "  He  that  hath  seen  me  [the  spiritual  idea 
or  my  individuaHty]  hath  seen  the  Father." 

The  sensuous  world  refused,  and  continues  to  refuse,  to 
follow  and  obey  the  impersonal  Christ  which  Jesus  and  you, 
my  beloved  Leader,  have  declared.     They  held 

1  •         •         1        1  1  r  1  ^1  •  "  They  do 

him  m  the  bonds  of  personal  sense.  The  wise  not  deify 
see  you  to-day  as  the  Messiah,  or  the  Anointed      y""""  ^""""^ 

personality  " 

of  God  to  this  age,  fulfilling  the  law  of  Love. 
They  do  not  deify  your  human  personality,  but  will  not  lose 
sight    of    your  spiritual   individuality,    or   God    with    us. 
Although    all    of    my    students    have   been    taught    this, 
doubtless  some  have  not  assimilated  it. 

In  your  letter  to  me,  which  was  published  in  the  Sentinel 
of  July  17th,  you  thanked  me  for  acknowledging  you  as 
my  Leader.  I  have  always  delighted  to  revere,  .,  j  ^^  ^^^^_ 
follow,  and  obey  you  as  my  Leader,  to  whom  I  ing  by  the 
pay  loving,  loyal  allegiance.  I  am  abiding  by 
the  divine  rules  laid  down  in  your  writings,  and  am  following 
your  Christly  example  so  far  as  Love  reflected  in  love 
illumines  the  way.  This  sincere  endeavor  to  possess  the 
Mind  of  Christ  must  bring  its  blessing.  Your  comforting 
assurance  that  I  am  ''aware  that  animal  magnetism  is  the 
opposite  of  divine  Science"^  gives  me  renewed  courage  to 
wield  the  two-edged  sword  of  Truth  and  Love  with  intent 

'See  page,  155. 
II 


i62      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

to  decapitate  this  opponent,  the  beast  and  false  prophet; 
for  the  He,  lust,  and  hypocrisy,  which  contend  against 
innocence  and  truth — ^the  Lamb  of  Love,  shall  not  continue 
to  engender  and  develop,  for  God  worketh  with  us. 

Precious  Leader,  I  am  watching  and  praying  that  "the 
enemy  of  good"  cannot  "separate"^  me  from  you,  my 
Cannot  be  Leader  and  Teacher.  "For  I  am  persuaded, 
separated  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
rom  ea  er  pj-{ncipalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  crea- 
ture, shall  be  able  to  separate  us  [me]  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord" — and  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
my  beloved  Leader,  "and  best  earthly  friend."^ 
What  Mrs  "'•  ^^^^  always  taught  my  students  to  love  and 

stetson  taught  reverence  you  as  the  one  whom  God  has  ap- 
her  students   p^i^ted  to  voice  His  Word  to  this  age. 

My  students  know  that  I  am  endeavoring  to  obey  your 
teaching  and  demonstrate  Christ,  and  for  this  reason  they, 
in  turn,  have  confidence  in  me  as  a  teacher  and 
deavoring  dcmonstrator  of  Christian  Science.  For  twenty- 
to  obey  your  f^yg  years,  "the  enemy  of  good"  has  been  using 
every  subtle  suggestion  to  separate  me  from  the 
Christ  which  you  represent,  and  are  demonstrating,  but  it 
has  signally  and  utterly  failed.  If  my  students  have  shown 
more  zeal  than  wisdom  in  expressing  their  love  for  their 
Leader,  and  for  their  teacher,  I  will  try  still  further  to 
warn  them  of  the  danger  of  deifying  physical  personality. 
I  believe,  however,  that  they  are  clear  on  the  fact  that  "none 
is  good,  save  one,  that  is,  God,"  and  His  idea,  and  that  "I 
can  of  mine  own  self  [material  self]  do  nothing,"  "But  the 
Father  that  dwelleth  in  me  [in  my  spiritual  individuality], 
He  doeth  the  works." 

As  you  continue  to  demonstrate  the  "infinite  calculus 
defining  the  line,  plane,  space,  and  fourth  dimension  of 
Spirit"  (Miscellaneous  Writings,  p.  22),  may  wisdom  enable 

«  Mrs.  Eddy's  letter,  July  12,  1909.     See  page  155. 


Physical  vs.  Spiritual  Personality      163 

me  to  maintain,  through  you,  God's  idea,  the  consciousness 
of  my  unity  with  Him.  This  I  beheve  I  have  always  done 
in  the  letter,  and  in  an  ever  increasing  degree  in  the  spirit. 
I  have  taught  my  students  to  look  straight  at  and  through 
the  brazen  serpent  of  false  personality,  and  to  behold  the 
immortal  idea,  man,  where  the  mortal  seems  to  be.  Mali- 
cious animal  magnetism  still  persists  in  its  efforts,  by  its 
indiscriminate  denunciation  of  personality  in  general,  to 
slay  the  spiritual  idea,  Christian  Science,  to  which  you  have 
given  birth.  I  understand  your  teachings  to  mean  that 
we  must  judge  righteous  judgment,  and  discern  between  the 
false  and  the  true,  so  that,  when  bidden  by  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest,  we  may  bind  the  tares  into  bundles  to  be  burned, 
while  we  gather  the  wheat  into  the  garner.  No  man  can  serve 
two  masters,  but  every  man  must  serve  one  master,  Christ. 

The  Scriptures  show  us  that  in  every  age  God  has  spoken 
through  a  person.  Abraham,  Moses,  Samuel,  David, 
Jesus,  and  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  are  some  of  the  human  names 
by  which  God's  chosen  representatives  have  been  known 
in  history.  You  refer  to  this  fact  in  Miscellaneous  Writ- 
ings, page  308,  "personal  revelators  will  take  their  proper 
place  in  history,  but  will  not  be  deified." 

Beloved  Leader,  you  are  ever  speaking  to  my  heart, 
"Awake!"  and  I  reply, 

"I  will  listen  for  Thy  voice, 

Lest  my  footsteps  stray; 
I  will  follow  and  rejoice 

All  the  rugged  way."* 

Your  loving  child, 

Augusta. 

The  Leader's  continued  affection  for  and  confidence 
in  Mrs.  Stetson,  as  a  loyal  and  obedient  stu-        Leader's 

J.        /.I  1  ^  '  '  1      •         ^  expression 

dent  or  her  teachmgs,  is  expressed  m  her  of  continued 
letter  of  August   30,    1909,   in  which    Mrs.      confidence 

*  Miscellaneous  Writings,  page  398. 


i64      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Eddy  directs  that  "The  Holy  Bible,  Science  & 
Health,  and  The  Mother  Church  Manual"  shall  be 
followed  as  "safe  guides." 

Box  G,  Brookline,  Mass.  August 

Thirtieth, 

1909. 
Mrs.  Augusta  Stetson,  C.  S.  D. 
7  West  Ninety-sixth  Street, 
New  York  City. 

My  Dear  Student: 

Your  kind  letter  was  duly  received.  You  know  that  I 
love  you  and  you  know  that  God  has  made,  and  is  making 
His  ways  and  works  manifest  through  Divine  Science.  I 
trust  He  will  direct  your  path  in  the  footsteps  of  His  flock. 
The  Holy  Bible,  Science  &  Health  and  The  Mother  Church 
Manual  are  your  safe  guides,  follow  them. 

I  have  not  the  time  to  think  of  the  Students  in  all  their 
varied  duties  of  life,  but  I  have  the  faith  to  leave  them  in 
the  hands  of  God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and 
upbraideth  none. 

As  ever  yours  in  Christ, 

Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

The  issue  as  to  the  Leader's  teachings  on  the  ques- 
tion of  immortality  versus  mortality  continued  to  be 
^^  ,    ^       so  misunderstood  by  many  as  to  call  forth 

The  Leader's    .  T->i-r  i- 

"Instruction"  irom  Mrs.  Eddy  the  following  clear  enuncia- 
i'mro^ruiity     ^^°^  ^^   published   in   the   Christian  Science 
Sentinel,  September  3,  1910: 

INSTRUCTION  BY  MRS.  EDDY. 

We  are  glad  to  have  the  privilege  of  publishing  an  ex- 
tract from  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  from  a  Christian  Scientist 
in  the  West,  and  Mrs.  Eddy's  reply  thereto.  The  issue 
raised  is  an  important  one  and  one  upon  which  there 
should  be  absolute  and  correct  teaching.     Christian  Scien- 


Box  G.  Brookline,  MaM. 

August 

Thirtieth, 

1909. 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 
7  West  Ninety-sixth  Street, 
New  York  City. 

My  Dear  Student: 

Your  kind  letter  was  duly  re- 
ceived.  You  know  that  I  love  you 
and  you  knoiw  that  God  has  made,  and 
is  making  His  ways  and  works  msml- 
fest  through  Divine  Science.   I 
trust  He  vvill  direct  your  path  in 
the  footsteps  of  His  flock.   The 
Holy  Bible,  Science  &  Health  and 
The  Mother  Church  Manual  are  your 
safe  guides,  follow  them. 

I  have  not  the  time  to  think 
of  the  Students  in  ail  their  varied 
duties  of  life,  but  I  have  the  faith 
to  leave  them  in  the  hands  cf  God, 
who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and 
upbraideth  none. 

As  ever  yours  in  Christ, 


C_.^^i>^/^ 


Facsimile  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 


Physical  vs.  Spiritual  Personality      165 

tists  are  fortunate  to  receive  instruction  from  their  Leader 
on  this  point.     The  question  and  Mrs.  Eddy's  reply  follow. 

"Last  evening  I  was  catechized  by  a  Christian  Science 
practitioner  because  I  referred  to  myself  as  an  immortal 
idea  of  the  one  divine  Mind.  The  practitioner  said  that 
my  statement  was  wrong,  because  I  still  lived  in  my  flesh. 
I  replied  that  I  did  not  live  in  my  flesh,  that  my  flesh  lived 
or  died  according  to  the  beliefs  I  entertained  about  it ;  but 
that,  after  coming  to  the  light  of  Truth,  I  had  found  that  I 
lived  and  moved  and  had  my  being  in  God,  and  to  obey 
Christ  was  not  to  know  as  real  the  beliefs  of  an  earthly 
mortal.  Please  give  the  truth  in  the  Sentinel,  so  that  all 
may  know  it." 

Mrs.  Eddy's  Reply. 

You  are  scientifically  correct  in  your  statement  about 
yourself.  You  can  never  demonstrate  spirituality  until  you 
declare  yourself  to  be  immortal  and  understand  that  you 
are  so.  Christian  Science  is  absolute;  it  is  neither  behind 
the  point  of  perfection  nor  advancing  toward  it;  it  is  at 
this  point  and  must  be  practised  therefrom.  Unless  you 
fully  perceive  that  you  are  the  child  of  God,  hence  perfect, 
you  have  no  Principle  to  demonstrate  and  no  rule  for  its 
demonstration.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  mortals  are 
the  children  of  God, — far  from  it.  In  practising  Christian 
Science  you  must  state  its  Principle  correctly,  or  you 
forfeit  yoiu"  ability  to  demonstrate  it. 

Mary  Baker  Eddy. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

TREATMENT  OF  SIXTEEN  PRACTITIONERS  BY 
THE  MOTHER  CHURCH  DIRECTORS 

During  the  two  weeks  preceding  September  24, 
twenty-five  of  the  New  York  practitioners  were  called 
The  Mother  to  Boston  by  The  Mother  Church  Directors 
Church  for  a  "Conference."    All  of  them  responded 

Directors  _  ^ 

summon  and  attended  at  the  time  and  place  desig- 
practitioners    ^^^^^  -^  ^-^^  rcqucst.     The  accounts  by  the 

practitioners  themselves  of  their  reception  and  treat- 
ment on  this  occasion  are  given  in  the  following 
statements. 

In  recording  his  relations  with  the  Directors  of  The 
Mother  Church  in  this  alleged  "Conference,"  Mr. 
Arnold  Blome  declares: 

When  called  as  a  witness  in  September  last,  the  Directors 
said:  "Mr.  Blome,  we  do  not  need  your  testimony."  As 
Mrs.  stetson  •'•  ^^^  been  at  the  twelve  o'clock  meetings  I 
already  should  havc  been  an  important  witness,  but  I 

con  emne  realized  then  that  the  whole  proceedings  were 
but  a  form,  and  Mrs.  Stetson  was  already  condemned  by 
the  Board  of  Directors. 

Mr.  Dittemore  said  on  this  occasion,  "Mr.  Blome,  is  it 
not  a  fact  that  mostly  all  of  the  practitioners  are  glad  the 
time  has  come  that  they  should  be  free  from  the  domination 
of  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  that  fear  alone  has  held  them  to  the 
conditions  in  First  Church,  New  York?"  This  was  new 
to  me,  and  an  evil  suggestion. 

166 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  167 

Mr.  Allison  V.  Stewart  said,  "Mr.  Blome,  why  don't 
you  open  your  heart  to  us — we  are  your  friends — as  Mr. 
Verrall  who  testified  before  you."  The  spirit  and  fruits 
of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teachings  were  carefully  avoided  in  the 
taking  of  testimony.  Motives,  acts,  and  occasions  which 
prompted  certain  sayings  and  defenses  in  the  practitioners' 
meetings  were  not  considered,  and  all  stress  was  laid  upon 
words  and  names  used.  This  could,  under  the  circum- 
stances, only  lead  to  false  conclusions  and  distorted  concepts 
of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  and  practice  of  Christian  Science. 

The  Directors  manifested  no  divine  love  in  the  taking  of 
testimony.  The  whole  proceeding  was  cold,  and  official 
in  the  extreme,  and  the  witnesses  answered  under  these 
difficulties. 

Below  is  Miss  Colton's  written  account  of  her  experi- 
ence. After  a  careful  preparation  for  her  appearance 
before  The  Mother  Church  Directors  she  responded 
to  their  call  on  September  19,  but  was  actually  called 
on  September  20,  1909.     She  says: 

From  shortly  after  1 130  p.m.,  I  was  alone  in  the  room. 
My  thoughts  were  so  far  away  and  out  from 
the  evidences  of  the  senses  that  the  hours  had  ^'^^  Coiton'g 

account 

not  dragged  nor  was  I  weary.     I  certainly  re- 
sisted in  no  degree  whatever   the   summons  before   the 
Directors  of  The  Mother  Church. 

It  seemed  a  great  privilege  to  find  myself  within  those 
walls,  a  member  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston.  It  was  not  a  material  organization,  but  a  state 
of  spiritual  consciousness  proved  to  our  Leader  "for  forty 
years  in  succession;"  which  she  has  since  told  us  of  in  her 
letter  of  November  13,  1909.' 

This  consciousness  I  felt  in  a  degree  that  day, — it  was 
the  consciousness  of  immortality.  I  remembered  that  I 
was  there  at  the  Directors'  own  request  to  "confer"  with 

'  See  page  92. 


i68      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

them,  therefore  it  was  with  spiritual  cooperation  that  I  gave 
my  hand  to  each  of  the  Directors  in  turn  before  I  was  seated. 
Astonished  On  lookuig  from  face  to  face  before  me,  I  was  com- 
at  Directors'   pletelv  astonishcd  at  the  hard  cold  expressions. 

manner  L,,  .  .     , 

This  was  especially  noticeable  in  Judge  Smith. 

The  "interview"  took  place  on  September  20,  1909,  and 
was  in  substance  as  follows : 

Judge  Clifford  P.  Smith  addressed  me  by  name,  and  read 
to  me  from  the  Church  Manual  the  following  By-Laws: 
Article  XL,  complaints.  Authority.  Sect.  5.  "The 
Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  has  power  to  disci- 
pline, place  on  probation,  remove  from  membership,  or  to 
excommunicate  members  of  The  Mother  Church.  ..." 
Also,  Article  XIL,  teachers.  Misteaching.  Sect.  2. 
"If  a  member  of  this  Church  is  found  trying  to  practise  or 
to  teach  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement  thereof 
in  its  textbook.  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
to  admonish  that  member  according  to  Article  XI,  Sect. 
4.  Then,  if  said  member  persist  in  this  offense,  his  or  her 
name  shall  be  dropped  from  the  roll  of  this  Church." 

Judge  Smith  then  asked  me — Had  I  been  to  Pleasant 
View?  I  answered  that  I  had,  as  they  all  must  know.  (I 
had  been  examined  as  to  my  standing  in  Christian  Science 
by  this  same  Board  of  Directors,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Allison  V.  Stewart  and  Mr.  John  V.  Dittemore,  in  July  of 
1906,  on  my  way  to  Pleasant  View.) 

Judge  Smith  continued:  "Did  you  repeat  at  the  twelve 
o'clock  meetings  certain  things  as  having  come  from  Mrs. 
Eddy?" 

I  replied:  "Mrs.  Eddy  told  me  certain  things  to  tell 
my  teacher,  and  to  the  practitioners." 
_    .  Judge    Smith    asked   me   what   these   things 

Declines  to  .  .  .  ^ 

divulge  were.     I  replied  that  I  did  not  consider  I  had  a 

Leader's  per-  right  to  tcU  them  there.     No  further  reference 

sonal  messages 

was  made  to  Pleasant  View. 
Judge  Smith  then  asked  me  a  series  of  questions  com- 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  169 

prised  In  one  sentence  of  much  length  and  requested  me  to 
reply  by  either  "Yes"  or  "No."  They  were  questions  of  a 
most  serious  nature,  being  in  part  open  charges  against 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson — and  anything  less  than  a  positive 
"No"  would  be  false — while  the  remainder  of  the  questions 
demanded  as  equally  a  decided  "Yes."  I  hesitated,  and 
Judge  Smith  said:  "I  will  repeat  the  question." 
With  the  second  hearing  of  the  questions  (not  make  mis- 
" question"),  I  was  aroused  to  the  situation  that  leading 

answers 

I  was  being  asked  to  reply  m  such  a  manner 

that  in  either  case  of  "Yes"  or  "No,"  Mrs.  Stetson  would 

be  falsely  condemned. 

I  made  a  protest,  saying  that  I  could  not  reply  to  a  num- 
ber of  questions  when  more  than  a  half  required  the  opposite 
answer. 

Judge  Smith  raised  his  hand  in  protest,  and  in  a  voice 
loud  and  imperative,  he  said:  "Answer  yes  or  noV 

"Judge  Smith,"  I  said,  "it  would  he  false  evidence  if  I 
replied  to  these  questions  as  a  whole,  yes  or  wo!" 

His  anger  increased,  and  he  said  I  was  unlawful,  or  to 
that  effect.  I  said  I  did  not  wish  to  be,  and  would  answer 
each  question  at  a  time  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  wherewith 
he  paced  the  floor  before  me  in  unmistakable  anger  and 
demanded  "' Fe5 '  07- '  A^o '! " 

I  replied  again — in  no  undecided  way — that  by  answer- 
ing those  questions  by  a  single  "Yes"  or  "No," 

.  .  ...  .  OflScial  exam- 

it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  obtain  honest  iner's  conduct 

evidence ! 

"Miss  Colton,"  he  shouted,  and  he  raised  his  hand  with 
the  papers  in  them,  "proceedings  shall  cease  in  your  case, 
and  you  will  have  given  no  evidence.  Do  you  refuse  to 
answer  these  questions?" 

I  replied,  " I  do.     I  refuse  to  answer  these  questions!" 

The  sense  of  the  error  at  this  point  swept  over  me.  No 
words  can  convey  any  part  of  what  this  scene  was,  as  having 
occurred  in  the  Board  Room  of  The  Mother  Church. 

The  investigation  continued.     In  not  one  single  instance 


170      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

was  I  allowed  to  explain  a  metaphysical  point,  from  which 
basis  the  statements  quoted  were  given.  I  was  not  per- 
mitted to  use  an  illustration,  references  from  the  Bible  or 
the  Christian  Science  denominational  textbook,  Science 
and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 
This  brought  out  an  erroneous  conclusion  on  every  question, 
exactly  the  reverse  of  the  truth. 

Before  an  ordinary  court  of  justice  such  procedure 
on  the  part  of  an  examiner  of  a  witness  would  call  for 
protection  from  the  Bench  against  the  violation  of  the 
ordinary  rights  of  witnesses.  Nor  was  there  any  neces- 
sity for  resort  to  such  tactics  with  a  witness  who  was 
willing  and  ready  to  answer  to  the  extent  of  her  knowl- 
edge and  belief.  Preparation  of  the  mind  for  bearing 
witness  to  the  truth  was  certainly  admirably  exempli- 
fied in  this  case,  yet  all  that  exalted  purpose  to  cooperate 
with  The  Mother  Church  authorities  was  apparently 
set  at  naught. 

Miss  Mary  Reno  Pinney's  accoimt  of  the  September 
hearings  at  Boston  is  brief,  but  much  to  the  point  in 
revealing  the  conditions  and  purposes  which  she  re- 
garded herself  as  confronting  in  the  Directors'  Room 
at  The  Mother  Church  in  Boston.  In  her  statement 
below  is  given  the  judgment  of  a  capable  practitioner 
upon  the  capacity  of  her  examiners  to  understand  the 
subject  with  which  they  were  dealing: 

Miss  Pinney's  On  September  22,  1909,  I  received  the  follow- 
account         jj^g  telegram: 

"  Boston,  Mass. 
"  Miss  Mary  R.  Pinney, 
.  .  .  "New  York  City 
"Directors  wish  to  confer  with  you  Friday  morning  at 
nine  o'clock. 

"J.  V.  DiTTEMORE,  Secretary." 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  171 

Accordingly  I  went  to  The  Mother  Church  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  at  the  appointed  time.  I  was  not  called  to 
appear  before  the  Board  of  Directors  until  twenty  minutes 
after  one.  Judge  Clifford  P.  Smith  and  Mr.  Virgil  O. 
Strickler  were  present  in  addition  to  the  entire  Board. 

I  was  in  the  Board  Room  twenty  minutes,  during  which 
time  I  was  severely  catechised  regarding  the  teachings  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  special  refer- 

1      •  1  1  1  ,  f      1  •  Severely 

ence  bemg  made  to  the  twelve  o  clock  practi-  catechised 
tioners'  meetings  held  in  First  Church  of  Christ,        regarding 

.  Mrs.  Stetson 

Scientist,   New  York   City.     The  character  of 
the  questions   asked,  the  method  of  conducting   the  ex- 
amination,   and   the   absolute   reversal  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 
teachings,  evidenced  either  an  unwillingness  or  an  inability 
to  comprehend  divine  metaphysics. 

The  discussions  in  our  twelve  o'clock  meetings  were 
carried  on  by  trained  mental  workers,  who  were  dealing 
with  high  metaphysical  points  from  a  purely  unfriendly 
Christian  basis,  such  as  could  not  be  understood  spirit  of 

or  viewed  from  a  material  standpoint,  or  inter-  ^^^™>°^*»o'» 
preted  by  minds  unprepared  spiritually.  During  this 
examination,  I  was  forced  to  observe  the  lack  of  brotherly 
love,  and  the  absence  of  a  Christian  spirit.  Article  VIII., 
Section  i,  and  Article  XXIV.,  Section  5,  of  The  Mother 
Church  Manual,  provide  that  all  members  of  The  Mother 
Church  shall  manifest  the  spirit  of  brotherly  love.  Also  in 
Retrospection  and  Introspection,  page  72,  Mrs.  Eddy  says, 
"In  the  practice  of  Christian  Science  one  cannot  impart  a 
mental  influence  that  hazards  another's  happiness,  nor 
interfere  with  the  rights  of  the  individual." 

Another  witness.  Miss  Antoinette  L.  Ensworth,  in 
describing  her  experience  at  this  hearing,  Miss  Ens 
makes  the  following  statement,  as  of  record: 


worth's 
account 


When  I  was  finally  called  to  the  Board  Room,  I  was  much 
surprised  to  find  besides  the  Directors,  the  First  Reader  of 


172      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  Mother  Church,  and  the  First  Reader  of  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City.  It  was  said  by  the 
Directors  that  they  were  there  by  invitation.  A  By-Law 
from  the  Manual  was  read,  Article  XII.,  Section  2  (Mis- 
teaching)  ,  and  then  the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church 
began  a  series  of  questions. 

The  entire  examination,  for  it  was  not  a  "conference," 
being  all  on  one  side,  was  carried  on  from  a  standpoint  of 
a  material  basis.  I  was  told  to  answer  "  Yes  "  or 
whelmed  by'  "  No "  to  two  or  three  questions  in  one,  where 
the  manner  the  answcr,  to  be  corrcct,  must  be  "Yes  and  no." 
authority"  -^^^  any  explanation  on  my  part,  or  any  state- 
ment of  Truth  declared  was  ruled  out.  Con- 
stantly declaring  God's  omnipotence,  and  knowing  the 
powerlessness  of  hypnotism  and  mesmerism,  understanding 
the  law  of  reversal  and  how  to  handle  the  false  claim  of 
malicious  animal  magnetism,  I  tried  to  hold  to  the  spiritual 
fact  and  to  what  I  knew  to  be  the  truth  of  the  situation. 
My  answers  were  somewhat  confused,  for  I  was  over- 
whelmed by  the  manner  of  those  in  authority. 

Miss  Sibyl  M.  Huse,  another  practitioner  who  re- 
sponded to  The  Mother  Church  Directors'  request  to 
appear   for   a    "conference"    with   them   in 

Miss  Huse's     _^  ,         ,  . 

account  -Doston,  also  bore  witness  to  the  manner  m 
which  the  Board  sought  to  get  information 
on  the  subject  of  this  inquiry.  In  refusing  to  allow  such 
explanations  as  would  give  to  answers  their  true  mean- 
ing, these  practitioners  were  put  in  the  position  of  being 
liable  to  bear  false  witness  imintentionally,  and  of  which 
technical  advantage  might  be  taken  in  the  misuse  of 
their  statements.  Miss  Huse,  in  reviewing  her  experi- 
ence as  a  witness  in  the  Directors'  Room  at  Boston, 
says: 

On  September  20,  1909, 1  received  a  letter  from  the  Clerk 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  173 

of  The  Mother  Church,  saying:  "We  wish  to  confer  with 
you.  ..."  I  obeyed  the  call  and  was  in  the  Clerk's 
Room  in  Boston,  at  the  appointed  hour.  As 
others  were  in  "conference"  with  the  Directors,  preparation 
I  spent  the  entire  day  in  silent  communion  with 
God  and  in  earnest  study  of  our  Leader's  writings,  so  that  I 
might  be  consciously  under  the  law  of  Spirit,  and  respond 
to  every  spiritual  demand.  The  next  day  I  was  called 
before  the  Directors.  Instead  of  a  "conference,"  I  found 
I  was  to  be  questioned  as  to  the  teaching  and  practices  of 
my  teacher,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson.  I  felt  at  once  that 
Judge  Smith,  in  the  role  of  questioner,  had  taken  his  posi- 
tion in  absolute  opposition  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 

The  questions  asked  me  were  of  such  a  nature  that  an 
immediate  answer  of  "Yes"  or  "No"  would  have  given 
an  erroneous  impression — would  have  been  no 
answer.  The  only  answer  desired,  or  required,  answer  by 
or  permitted,  was  "  Yes "  or  "No,"  as  to  whether  ™"®  "J^^ " 
statements  had  been  made  by  Mrs.  Stetson. 
Unless  the  setting,  the  occasion,  the  motive,  the  intent 
and  spiritual  content  of  such  statements  were  given,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  convey  the  truth  by  saying  "Yes" 
or  "  No."  In  view  of  all  this,  I  refused  to  answer  the  ques- 
tion, "Have  you  ever  heard  Mrs.  Stetson  say  that  the 
church  of  which  she  is  a  member  is  the  only  legitimate 
branch  church  in  New  York  City?"  This  question  cannot 
be  answered  "Yes"  or  "No."     It  is  both  "Yes"  and  "No." 

Mrs.  Stetson  was  considering  the  spiritual  foundation 
and  superstructure  or  Church.  I  perfectly  well  understood 
this,  for  the  accompanying  conversation  and  setting  of  the 
declaration  induced  such  understanding.  She  had  taught 
me  that  in  order  for  a  church  to  be  a  legitimate  branch,  it 
must  be  of  like  nature  with  the  Vine,  of  which  Mrs.  Eddy 
said,  it  is  "the  superstructure  of  Truth,  reared  on  the 
foundation  of  Love,  and  pinnacled  in  Life." 

First  Church  of  New  York  was  struggling  to  maintain  a 
firm  foothold  in  this  great  city,  when  a  number  of  its  mem- 


174      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

bers  went  out  from  it  to  form  another  church.  The  Cause 
was  not  growing  so  rapidly  as  to  justify  or  necessitate  this 
movement;  it  was  not  in  obedience  to  the  divine  law, 
"Multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth;"  it  was  division — in 
other  and  clearer  terms,  it  was  schism  not  unity.  As  legally 
chartered  branches  of  the  Boston  organization,  Mrs.  Stet- 
son never  failed  to  recognize  all  the  Christian  Science 
churches.  Those  churches,  however,  that  had  been  the 
outcome  of  rivalry  and  ambition,  she  knew,  and  I  know, 
are  not  legitimate  branches  of  that  Mother  Vine  which 
shall  fill  the  earth  with  its  branches  laden  with  fruit. 

In  refusing  to  hear  such  explanation,  and  in  making  it 
impossible  to  convey  our  teacher's  teaching,  I  consider 
that  our  questioners  were  not  "impelled  by  an 
^lusa°  °'  honest  purpose  to  arrive  at  the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth  in  relation  to 
conditions  and  practices  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York."  In  which  case  they  were  not  obedient  to 
Article  VIII.,  Section  i.  "Neither  animosity  nor  mere 
personal  attachment  should  impel  the  motives  or  acts  of 
the  members  of  The  Mother  Church.  ..." 


In  the  course  of  Miss  Sarah  W.  Hathaway's  exami- 
Miss  Hatha-  natioH  beforc  the  Board  of  Directors  in 
way's  account  Boston,  shc  iccounts  the  following: 


At  one  time  Judge  Smith  said  to  me:  "I  want  you  to 
answer  'Yes'  or  ' No'  to  my  question.     Answer  it  at  once! " 

(Stamping  his  foot.)  I  said:  "Judge  Smith,  I 
Ma^i^ner        havc  givcn  you  no  right  to  speak  to  me  in  that 

manner,  and  I  refuse  to  answer  you  under  those 
circumstances."  He  made  no  apology,  but  he  tried  the 
question  in  another  way  and  I  answered  it.  He  said, 
"Now  you  can  ansv/er  my  question  in  your  own  way  if 
you  choose."  I  answered  him,  and  then  he  put  on  his  hat 
and  went  out  of  the  room.  He  never  questioned  me 
again.     Mr.  McLellan  and  Mr.  Dittemore  did  the  rest. 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  175 

Miss  Hathaway  was  asked:  "Were  any  of  their 
questions  of  such  a  nature  that  it  was  impossible  to 
answer  by  'Yes'  or  'No'  as  demanded  by 

.  ,  Should  have 

them  ?  "  She  repHed :  ' '  Every  question  that  had  to  ue  if  she 
was  given  to  me,  for  they  would  give  one  °*'^/'.7i^o " 
question,  and  to  that  I  would  have  ans- 
wered 'Yes,'  and  then  they  gave  me  questions  that 
were  so  utterly  impossible  that  I  should  have  had  to 
lie  if  I  had  said  'Yes'  or  'No.'" 

Mrs.  M.  Augusta  Aikman's  recital  of  her  experience 
at   the   September    hearings   in   the  Board 

^  Mrs.  Aikman's 

Room  at  Boston,  mdicates  the  mental  at-  account 

mosphere  there  encoimtered: 

On  the  twenty-second  of  September,  1909,  I  received  a 
note  which  read  as  follows:  "Dear  Mrs.  Aikman:  We 
wish  to  confer  with  you  in  the  Directors'  Room  of  The 
Mother  Church,  on  next  Thursday  morning,  Sept.  23rd,  at 
nine  o'clock.  Please  arrange  to  be  present  at  that  time." 
Signed,  "Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors." 

In  compliance  with  this  request  I  appeared  before  the 
Board  at  the  appointed  time,  and  was  told  that  Judge  Smith, 
who  was  present  as  First  Reader,  would  question  me.  He 
then  told  me  that  I  was  there  to  be  examined  on  Article 
Xn.,  "  Misteaching,"  Section  2,  which  he  read  to  me  as 
follows : 

"If  a  member  of  this  Church  is  found  trying  to  practise 
or  to  teach  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement 
thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to 
THE  Scriptures,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors to  admonish  that  member  according  to  Article  XI, 
Sect.  4.  Then,  if  said  member  persists  in  this  offense,  his 
or  her  name  shall  be  dropped  from  the  roll  of  this 
Church." 

As  Judge  Smith  questioned  me  in  connection  with  this 
By-Law,  it  became  apparent  that  I  was  there  to  testify 


176      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

or  witness  as  to  Mrs.  Stetson's  teachings.  I  was  told 
that  questions  must  be  answered  "Yes"  or  "No,"  and  not 
Seeming  in  the  " f ourth  dimension,"  but  as  a  "mortal  to 
determination  mortals."  I  felt  that  I  was  being  dealt  with 
by  a  lawyer  who  was  merciless  in  his  determi- 
nation to  convict,  through  my  testimony,  one  who  had  al- 
ready been  judged  guilty.  The  questions  were  many  of  them 
personal  and  irrelevant.  There  seemed  to  be  a  desire  to  catch 
or  trip  me,  to  intimidate  and  cause  me  to  contradict  myself. 
Finally  Judge  Smith  said  to  me,  "You  act  as  if  you  thought 
some  one  was  already  prejudged."  I  replied,  "I  certainly 
do.  Judge  Smith." 

I  was  soon  dismissed,  feeling  that  I  had  been  entirely 
misunderstood,  although  I  had  answered  the  questions 
truthfully  and  correctly,  according  to  my  understanding 
of  our  Leader's  teachings.  The  First  Reader  of  First 
Church,  New  York,  was  also  present  at  this  conference. 

It  can  hardly  be  said  that  the  witnesses,  who  were 
examined  under  such  trying  circumstances  and  who 
were  subsequently  not  allowed  a  copy  of  their  testimony, 
were  justly  treated.  In  not  a  single  case,  so  far  as 
our  information  goes,  were  the  witnesses  permitted  to 
see  a  transcript  of  what  they  were  recorded  as  saying 
under  the  examination  of  Judge  Smith  before  the 
Board  of  Directors.  In  at  least  two  known  cases, 
direct  application  was  made  to  the  Board  of  Directors 
for  a  copy  of  their  testimony.  The  letter  from  Miss 
Mary  E.  Pearson  to  the  Board,  and  Mr.  Dittemore's 
reply  follow; 

New  York  City, 
April  3,  1910. 

Mr.  J.  V.  DiTTEMORE,  Secretary, 

Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — Will  you  kindly  send  me  a  copy  of 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  177 

my   testimony,   given   before  the  Board  of   Directors  in 
Boston,  at  your  earliest  convenience? 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Mary  E.  Pearson. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 

Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 

Boston,  Mass. 

Office  of  the 

Secretary 

April  4,  19 10. 
Miss  Mary  E.  Pearson 

New  York  City 

My  dear  Miss  Pearson: — The  record  of  testimony  taken 

before  The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

.  Miss  Pearson 

IS  never  given  out.     Similar  requests  to  yours    refused  copy 
have  always  been  refused,  and  it  is,  therefore,     °^  ^^^  *^^*^" 

1      1-        •        1  •     •  mony 

necessary  to  decline  m  this  instance. 
Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore, 
Secretary  of  The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors. 

We  also  insert  Mr.  Arnold  Blome's  request  for  his 
testimony,  and  Mr.  Dittemore's  reply: 

New  York  City,  N.  Y. 
To  the  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Mr.  John  V.  Dittemore,  Sec'y. 

Gentlemen  and  Brothers  in  Truth: — Lovingly  and  prayer- 
fully I  ask  you  to  kindly  send  me  a  copy  of  my 

^      /.  .  .         ,     ^  ,  T^.  Mr.  Blome 

testimony   given    recently    before    the    Direc-         requests 
tors    of    The  Mother  Church  in  regard  to  the      copy  of  his 
teachings  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 
I  might  state  various  reasons  all  of  which  are  to  bring  out 


178       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

facts  and  truths  concerning  my  own  and  others'  well  being 
in  Christian  Science. 

Hoping  you  will  grant  my  request,  I  remain, 
Yours  lovingly, 

(Signed)     Arnold  Blome. 
Nov.  14th,  1909. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 

Office  of  the 
Secretary 

November  24,  1909 

Mr.  Arnold  Blome, 
New  York  City 

Dear  Mr.  Blome: — Please  pardon  my  delay  in  acknowl- 
edging your  letter  of  November  fourteenth. 
Request  I  regret  to  say  that  I  will  be  unable  to  comply 

denied  ^j^}^  y^^j.  j-gquest  as  the  Board   of   Directors 

has  denied  similar  requests  before  hearing  from  you. 

There  is  only  one  Christian  Science  and  if  you  practise 
according  to  the  teachings  of  our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  you 
will  make  no  mistakes.  "It  is  Christian  Science  to  do 
right,  and  nothing  short  of  right-doing  has  any  claim  to 
the  name."     (Science  and  Health) 

Very  truly  yours, 
J  V  D— W  (Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secty. 

Notwithstanding  that   Secretary  J.   V.    Dittemore 

stated  in  his  letter  of  April  4,  1910,  that  "The  record  of 

testimony  taken  before  The  Christian  Science 

Portions  of         ^  ^       -   ._,^.  .  . 

testimony  had  -Board  oi  Dircctors  IS  never  given  out,  yet 
b^^otheTs*^  it  is  a  fact  that  at  least  a  portion  of  this  very 
testimony  was  in  the  possession  of  V.  O. 
Strickler  of  New  York  City,  and  that  such  portion  as 
he  elected  was  made  public  by  him. 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  179 

Soon  after  the  foregoing  "  Conference,"  sixteen  of 
these  practitioners  were  "admonished,"  by  a  letter,  and 
the  cards  of  eight  of  them  were  removed  from  The 
Christian  Science  Journal  by  order  of  the  Board  of 
Directors.  The  remaining  eight  had  no  cards  in  the 
Journal. 

Was  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Directors  in  removing 
the    cards   of    the    practitioners    {in    October, 
igog)  from  The   Christian  Science  Journal,        By-Laws 
in  accord  with  the  By-Laws?  in  "emo7ing 

This  action  was  presumably  taken  imder  practitioners' 

•^  cards? 

Article   XXV.,   Section   9,   which  reads  as 
follows : 

No  cards  shall  be  removed  from  our  periodicals  without 
the  request  of  the  advertiser,  except  by  a  majority  vote  of 
the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  at  a  meeting  held 
for  this  purpose  or  for  the  examination  of  complaints. 

Members  of  this  Chiu^ch  who  practise  other  professions 
or  pursue  other  vocations,  shall  not  advertise  as  healers, 
excepting  those  members  who  are  officially  engaged  in  the 
work  of  Christian  Science,  and  they  must  devote  ample 
time  for  faithful  practice. 

Action  against  these  practitioners  of  First  Church, 
New  York  City,  was  taken  without  previous  notice  to 
them,  and  no  trial  was  accorded  them  prior  to  the 
infliction  of  this  ptmishment. 

Examining  the  By-Law  referred  to,  the  question 
arises:  Is  the  removal  of  a  card  a  matter  of  church 
discipline  under  the  meaning  of  Article  XI.,  Section  4? 
In  this  case,  no  other  than  an  affirmative  conclusion  is 
possible ;  for  a  penalty  was  inflicted  tending  to  discredit 
those  involved  before  the  Christian  Science  Field  and 
the  world.     The  removal  of  these  cards  was  an  attempt 


i8o      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

to  take  away  their  status  as  recognized  Christian  Sci- 
ence practitioners, — that  being  their  profession  and 
sole  vocation. 

This  action  cannot  be  taken  "except  by  a  majority 
vote  of  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  at  a 
Removal  meeting  held  for  this  purpose  or  for  the 
of  cards  examination  of  complaints."  This  action, 
discipline  therefore,  is  an  official  church  action  involv- 
ing discipline  and  the  requirements  of  Article 
XI.,  Section  4,  we  believe,  should  "have  been  strictly 
obeyed."  If  the  action  was  taken  as  the  result  of  a 
complaint,  the  requirements  of  Article  XL,  Section  4, 
certainly  are  binding;  but  if  not,  it  must  be  action 
taken  at  a  "meeting  held  for  this  purpose,"  which 
makes  the  action  the  official  action  of  the  Church,  and 
it  is  idle  to  say  that  this  is  not  the  infliction  of  discipline. 
To  hold  otherwise  is,  in  our  judgment,  a  clear  evasion 
of  the  spirit  as  well  as  of  the  letter  of  the  By-Laws. 

This  is  still  more  clear  when  this  By-Law  is  con- 
sidered in  the  light  of  its  history  and  context  as  it  was 
originally  framed.  The  provision  as  to  the  removal 
of  cards  first  appeared  in  the  Church  By-Law  published 
in  the  Sentinel  of  April  26,  1900,  which  reads  as  follows: 

Church  By-law. 

BY  MARY  BAKER  G.  EDDY. 

Only  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors,  and  the 
First  Reader  of  the  Mother  Church  shall  be  present  at 
meetings  for  the  examination  of  complaints  against  Church 
members.  Only  the  Board  of  Directors,  and  the  First 
Reader  shall  confer,  or  vote  on  cases  of  complaints  and 
church  discipline.  A  complaint  against  a  member  of  the 
Mother  Church  [a\  shall  be  laid  before  this  Board;  and 
within  thirty  days  thereafter  the  clerk  of  the  Church  shall 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  i8i 

address  a  letter  of  inquiry  to  the  member  complained  of, 
as  to  its  validity.  If  the  previous  Christian  character  of 
the  accused  member  is  good,  his  reply  to  the  clerk  contra- 
dicting the  accusations,  or  his  confession  thereof,  and  com- 
pliance with  our  Church  Rules  shall  be  sufficient  on  behalf 
of  said  member  for  the  Board  to  dismiss  the  subject,  and 
the  clerk  of  the  Church  shall  immediately  so  inform  him. 
[b]  The  complainant,  on  a  second  offence  of  this  kind,  shall 
be  subject  to  discipline  and  dismissal  from  this  Church. 
No  cards  shall  be  removed  from  our  periodicals  except  by 
a  majority  vote  of  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
and  First  Reader — at  a  meeting  of  the  Mother  Church 
held  for  this  purpose — or  for  the  examination  of  complaints. 
No  Church  discipline  shall  ensue  until  the  requirements 
in  [i]  Article  XXVI.,  Section  6,  of  our  Manual  have  been 
strictly  obeyed. 

In  the  Twenty-fourth  Edition  of  the  Manual,  pub- 
lished in  1901,  the  above  appears  as  Article  XXII., 
under  the  general  title  "Discipline,"  and  see  Manual 
under  the  sub-title  "Complaints,"  and  it  is  Art.  xxii., 
to  be  noted  not  only  that  this  provision  as 
to  the  removal  of  cards  is  made  a  part  of  the  By-Laws 
relating  to  "Discipline,"  but,  in  the  original  By-Law, 
is  followed  immediately  by  the  provision  that, — "No 
Church  discipline  shall  ensue  until  the  requirements  in 
[i]  Article  XXVI.,  Section  6,  of  our  Manual  have  been 
strictly  obeyed." 

Our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  therefore,  considered  the  re- 
moval of  cards  from  the  Church  periodicals  as  "Church 
Discipline."     This  By-Law  continues  to  ap- 
pear under  the  general  title  of  "Discipline"      garded  re- 
imtil  the  Seventy-third  Edition,   published  '°o^a|.«>^"^ds 

•'  '     jr  as  discipline 

in  1908,  when  the  By-Laws  were  rearranged, 

and  it  then  appeared  under  the  general  heading  "The 


i82      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Christian  Science  Publishing  Society,"  as  Section  9  of 
Article  XXV.,  but  the  substance  of  the  By-Law  is  the 
same.  It  cannot  reasonably  be  said  that  the  mere 
arrangement  of  order  in  the  By-Laws  relieved  the  Di- 
rectors from  the  Christian  duty  enjoined  by  our  Master 
in  Matthew,  and  reaffirmed  by  our  Leader  in  the  By- 
Laws  (see  Article  XL,  Sections  2  and  4,  1909),  of  first 
Were  not  goi^g  privately  to  a  fellow  church  member 
By-Laws  and  telling  him  of  his  fault,  before  publishing 
that  fault  to  the  world.  The  By-Laws,  we 
believe,  were  clearly  violated,  both  in  letter  and  in 
spirit. 

This  By-Law,  published  April  26,  1900,  was  again 
pubHshed  in  the  Sentinel  of  May  10,  1900,  in  substan- 
tially the  same  form,  but  with  the  following  important 
changes,  to  wit: 

(a)  After  the  words  "A  complaint  against  a  member 
of  the  Mother  Church,"  appear  the  words  in  italics, 
**^J  said  member  belongs  to  no  other  church." 

(b)  The  words  "The  complainant,  on  a  second  offence 
of  this  kind,  shall  be  subject  to  discipline,"  are  changed 
to  read,  "Also,  the  complainant  shall  cease  to  speak  ill 
of  him,  or  be  subject  to  discipline  and  dismissal  from 
this  Church." 

(c)  The  following  new  paragraph  is  added  : 

"A  member  of  the  Mother  Church,  and  a  member 
or  the  Reader  of  a  Branch  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
shall  not  send  to  the  Mother  Church  a  complaint 
against  another  member  of  a  Branch  Church.  Each 
Church  shall  separately  and  independently  discipline 
its  own  members, — if  this  sad  necessity  ever  occurs." 

In  the  Manual,  Twenty-fourth  Edition  (1901),  the 
above  appears  as  Article  XXIL,  under  the  general 
caption    "Discipline"    and    sub- title    "Complaints;" 


Treatment  of  Practitioners  183 

in  the  Twenty-ninth  Edition  (1903)  the  same  appears 
under  Article  XXL ;  in  the  Fifty-seventh  Edition  (1906) 
the  arrangement  differs  and  "First  Reader" 
does  not  appear  as  qualified  to  be  present  at  ^"^l^f^^^H 
Board  Meetings,  etc. ;  in  the  Fifty-seventh  present  at 
Edition,  the  By-Law,  "Removal  of  Cards"  Meetings 
appears  under  Article  XXL,  under  general 
caption  "Discipline"  and  sub-title  "Complaints," 
but  is  a  separate  section.  Section  4. 

1908 — Sixty-eighth  Edition  is  the  same. 
"  — Seventy-second  Edition  is  the  same. 
"  ' — 'Seventy- third  Edition  is  the  same. 

(Note.  This  is  the  official  authorized  Edition — see 
Article  XXXV.,  Section  2,  of  later  Editions.)  In  this 
Edition  appears  a  new  arrangement,  and  "Removal  of 
Cards"  is  placed  under  Article  XXV.,  Section  9,  under 
general  heading:  "The  Christian  Science  Publishing 
Society,"  but  no  change  is  made  in  its  substance. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
POSITION  OF  THE  SIXTEEN  PRACTITIONERS 

Out  of  the  twenty-six  practitioners  who  had  had 
their  offices  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New 
York  City,  nineteen  adhered  to  their  original  position 
in  supporting  the  teachings  which  they  had  received 
from  Mrs.  Stetson,  as  being  in  accord  with  the  writings 
of  the  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

The  relations  of  this  group  to  the  First  Reader  and 

the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  may  be  divided 

.    into  four  separate  stages  in  the  order  of  time. 

Four  stages  in  ^  °  ' 

treatment  of  cach  of  which  dcvclopcd  Something  of  the 
practitioners  ^ttitudc  of  The  Mother  Church  authorities 
towards  those  who  could  not  be  swerved  from  their 
iinderstanding  of  Truth. 

The  first  of  these  relations  came  with  the  questioning 
of  the  practitioners  before  The  Mother  Chiu-ch  Di- 
se  tember  Tcctors  at  Boston,  after  invitation  to  enter 
hearings  into  a  "  Conf crcncc "  with  them.  What 
occurred  at  these  September  hearings  is 
described  in  the  previous  chapter,  entitled  "Treatment 
of  Sixteen  Practitioners  by  The  Mother  Church 
Directors." 

The  second  arose  from  the  dealings  of  the  Directors 
with  the  practitioners  three  months  later,  through  the 
asking  of  "  Three  Test  Questions  "  as  set  forth  in  the 

184 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       185 

Directors'  letter  of  February  12,  1909.  In  this 
official  act  the  Directors  undertook  to  examine  into 
the  convictions    and   the   personal   conduct 

**ThrGG  Test 

of  nineteen  practitioners  of  First  Church,  Questions" 
New  York  City. 

The  third  of  these  relations  was  concerned  with  a 
series  of  three  "  admonitions"  to  sixteen   of„.^      .,.    „ 

"Admonition" 

these  practitioners,  one  "admonition"  on  the       of  practi- 
part  of  the  First  Reader  of  the   New  York 
church,  and  two  by  the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother 
Church. 

The  fourth  of  these  relations  was  marked  by  drop- 
ping from  membership  in  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  City,  fifteen  of  those  practitioners 
practitioners.  This  action  by  the  new  Trus-  dropped  from 
tees  of  this  branch  church  was  followed  by 
the  "Two-Count  Complaint"  against  the  practitioners 
by  the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  to  the  Board 
of  Directors,  after  which  their  names  were  dropped 
from  The  Mother  Church  membership. 

All    of    these    four    experiences — the    "September 
Hearings,"    the  "Three  Test  Questions,"    the  "Three 
Admonitions,"  and  the  "Two- Count  Com- 
plaint,"  are   described   separately   in    these     church^ro- 
pages  in  order  to  bring  out  the  facts  in  the     *^*'*  '*^ "'"' 

members  ? 

dealmgs  of  The  Mother  Church  Directors 
with  this  group  of  practitioners  who  were  members 
of  a  branch  church.  These  details  are  further  in- 
tended to  throw  light  on  the  important  fact  that  the 
newly  elected  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  New  York 
church,  in  our  judgment,  failed  to  protect  members  of 
that  church  by  settling  their  own  church  difficulties 
as  enjoined  by  the  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church, 
Article  XL,  Section  13. 


1 86      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

THE  THREE  TEST  QUESTIONS 

The  Board  of  Directors,  under  date  of  February  12, 
1 910,  sent  three   test  questions  to   each  of 
oJe's'tlonl^^'  these    practitioners.       The    following    com- 
munication addressed  to  Mr.  Hatfield  gives 
the  form  used. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 

Office  of  the 
Secretary 

February  12, 1910. 
Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield, 

.  .  .  New  York  City 
Dear  Mr.  Hatfield: — Now  that  a  half  year  has  elapsed 
since  the  end  of  the  daily  practitioners'  meetings  held  in 
First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  under 
the  direction  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  and  the  events 
of  this  period  have  at  least  given  you  cause  for  reconsider- 
ing what  went  on  in  those  meetings.  The  Christian  Science 
Board  of  Directors  request  you  to  answer  the  following 
questions : 

1.  Do  you  believe  that  what  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  and 
practised  as  Christian  Science  in  said  meetings  between 
December  i,  1908,  and  the  end  of  said  meetings  was  in 
accordance  with  Christian  Science,  or  contrary  thereto? 

2.  Are  you  living  and  working  in  Christian  fellowship 
with  the  present  officers  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City? 

3.  What,  if  anything,  have  you  done  in  order  to  comply 
with  the  request  of  our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  which  was  read 
at  the  meeting  of  said  branch  chtuch  on  November  15, 
1909? 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       187 

Please  let  us  have  plain  and  direct  answers  to  these 
questions  at  your  earliest  convenience. 
Very  sincerely, 
The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

By  (Signed)  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

Has  the  Board  of  Directors  any  right  to  interfere 
with  the  affairs  of  any  branch  church?  (See  Manual 
of  The  Mother  Church,  Article  XXIII.,  Sect.  10.) 

Was  not  each  one  of  these  three  questions  and  espe- 
cially the  second  and  third  an  iinauthorized  investiga- 
tion by  the  Directors  of  internal  conditions 
in  a  branch  church?  As  shown  by  the  fol-  que^JfonsTnt 
lowing  letters  each  practitioner  met  these  ^^"^^  ^.'■^"'^'^ 
questions  squarely.  Their  replies  were  ad- 
dressed to  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  at 
Boston  and  related  directly  to  the  three  questions  given 
above.  The  answers  are  characterized  by  brevity, 
directness,  and  firmness  of  conviction.  The  spirit  of 
their  replies  is  not  that  of  uncertain  and  vacillating 
thought,  but  rather  shows  a  firm  grasp  of  the  truth 
in  Christian  Science. 

Reply  of  Mr.  Arnold  Blome 

New  York  City, 
February  14,  19 10. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
John  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — Your  letter  of  February  12th  inst. 
at  hand.     In  reply  I  will  say  to  Question  I : 

I  firrnl}'-  believe  that  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  and  practised 
true  Christian  Science  in  the  meetings  you  refer  to,  and 


i88      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

that  her  teaching  is  in  perfect  accord  with  Science 
and  Health,  our  textbook.  This  is  my  honest  conviction, 
Mr  Biome  ^^  conccpt  and  spiritual  interpretation  of 
endorses  Mrs.  Stctson's  teaching  and  practice,  and  I 
Mrs.  stet-      cannot    accept    anybody    else's    interpretation 

son's  teaching  i.  ^  j  r- 

thereof.  I  believe  and  understand  that  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  is  misinformed 
and  erroneously  influenced  in  regard  to  said  practitioners' 
meetings  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
and  have  a  mistaken  sense  of  her  teaching  and  practice. 
I  can  no  more  deny  the  teaching,  as  I  have  received  it, 
than  I  can  deny  the  Principle  of  Christian  Science  to  be 
Love.     Denying  one,  I  should  deny  the  other  also. 

Answer  to  Question  II: 

I  am  living  and  working  in  Christian  fellowship  with  the 
present    officers    of    First    Church    of    Christ, 

Is  working         t,    .  . 

with  those      Scientist,   New   York   City,   in  so   far  as  said 
who  follow      officers   are  living   in    the  spirit    of    Christian 
Science  and   thereby  follow  our  dear  Leader, 
Mrs.  Eddy,  as  she  follows  Christ. 

Answer  to  Question  III : 

I  am  supporting  The  Mother  Church  Directors,   and 

abide  "in  fellowship  with  and  obedience  to  The  Mother 

Church,"^  by  living  a  life  more  consecrated  to 

Supports  the     ^     j  ^        ^     . 

Directors  by  God  and  suiiering  humanity.  I  have  no  resent- 
consecrated    mcut,  love  all,  and  reaHze  that  the  Directors  of 

living 

The  Mother  Church  are  my  best  friends,  in  so 
far  as  they  take  all  false  trust  from  me  and  leave  me  to 
have  trust  in  Truth  only. 

Lovingly  yours  in  the  Truth  of  Christian  Science  forever, 

(Signed)     Arnold  Blome. 

*  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       189 

Reply  of  Miss  Antoinette  L.  Ensworth 

New  York  City, 
February  14,  19 10. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 
Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — During  the  half  year  that  has 
elapsed  since  the  end  of  the  daily  practitioners'  meetings, 
held  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New- 
York  City,  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Augusta      ^^^'J^  g  °^g 
E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  I  have  considered  and  re-   practitioners' 
considered   earnestly   and   prayerfully   all   that         Aspiring 
took   place  in  those  most  helpful  and,  to  me, 
inspiring    meetings.     My    interpretation    of    what    Mrs, 
Stetson  taught  and  practised  in  those  meetings  was  then 
and  is  now  in  exact  accordance  with  Christian  Science, 
and  what  I  find  in  my  daily  study  of  Science  and  Health, 
and  the  other  writings  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy. 
Understanding  this  teaching  through  an  awakened  spirit- 
ual sense  has  made  me  a  better  woman,  a  more  successful 
practitioner,  living  more  for  God  and  less  for  self,  "seeking 
his  [my]  own  in  another's  good"  {Science  and  Health,  p. 

518). 

A  Christian  Scientist  or  a  student  of  divine  metaphysics, 
working  from  the  basis  of  the  allness  of  Spirit,  ^  ^^.^^ 
cannot  live  nor  work  with  those  who  do  not  standpoints 
work  from  the  same  standpoint.  .  .  . 

I  feel  that  I  have  complied  with  our  Leader's  request 
of  Nov.  13,  1909,  for  I  have  daily,  yes  hourly,  all  these 
months  striven  to  make  good  real  and  all  the  claims  of 
evil  unreal.  I  have  been  abiding  in,  and  demonstrating 
Truth,  knowing  that  justice,  Truth,  and  Love  govern  all 
and  must  prevail.  My  hope  of  salvation  is  in  a  life  conse- 
crated to  God,  in  attaining,  retaining,  and  utilizing  the 
qualities   of    the    Christ-mind,    which    alone   make   man 

immortal. 

Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)     Antoinette  L.  Ensworth. 


190      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 
Reply  of  Miss  Sibyl  Marvin  Huse 

New  York  City, 

Febraary  14,  1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  my  letter  to  you  dated 
February  10, 1  claimed  that  my  right  to  be  called 
poskion"^^^    a  Christian  Scientist  antedated  my  having  at- 
tended any  Christian  Science  service. 

After  having  had  class  instruction  from  Mrs.  Augusta 
E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  and  thus  becoming  a  student  of  a  loyal 
Questions  studcnt  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  I  applied  for  membership 
Directors'  in  The  Mother  Church.  In  becoming  a  member 
ng  o  as  ^£  rpj^g  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston, 
Mass.,  I  automatically  accepted  The  Mother  Church 
Manual  as  the  law  governing  me  in  all  my  relations  with 
that  organization.  It  has  been  my  earnest  desire  and 
effort  to  abide  by  its  By-Laws,  and  I  have  studied  them 
carefully,  particularly  during  the  last  year.  I  fail,  however, 
to  find  any  intimation  of  any  right  being  vested  in  the 
Directors  to  enquire  as  to  my  conduct  in  reference  to  my 
relations  with  any  branch  church  of  which  I  might  be  a 
member.  The  second  question  in  your  letter,  therefore, 
seems  to  me  to  pertain  to  matters  outside  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church.  I  shall,  however, 
be  glad  to  comply  with  your  request  and  answer  it  as  intel- 
ligently as  I  may  be  able. 

...  I  find  obedience  to  our  Leader's  wish  for  liberal 
government  in  the  branch  churches  interferes  with  my 
living  in  fellowship  with  the  present  officers  of  First  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  for  they  do  not  repre- 
sent such  government  as  I  understand  it.  I  regret  this, 
but  I  cannot  do  otherwise  than  thoroughly  disapprove  of 
what  seems  to  me  constant  violations  of  the  principles  of 
self-government,  and  of  the  many  evidences  of  arbitrary 
and  despotic  control.     I  have  in  consequence  withdrawn 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       191 

from  all  church  activity  except  attendance  at  the  services. 

The  third  question,  gentlemen,  seems  to  me  to  be  of  a 
most  personal  nature  and  very  difficult  of  answer,  for  it 
involves  a  clear  understanding  of  our  Leader's  exhortation 
and  an  ability  on  my  part  to  meet  a  spiritual  demand.  I 
am  striving  earnestly  to  catch  the  spiritual  import  of  her 
words  and  to  follow  her  directions.  I  desire  to  "support" 
rightly  all  that  our  Leader  supports  and  to  "Abide  in 
Truth  "^  always.  By  so  doing  I  shall  be  able  to  dwell  in 
fellowship  with  all  who  are  so  endeavoring. 

For  the  answer  to  your  first  question,  I  refer  you  to  my 
letter  of  the  loth  inst. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)      Sibyl  Marvin  Huse. 

Miss  Huse's  letter  of  February  loth,  1910,  to  which 
she  refers  above,  contains  the  following  paragraphs: 

In  all  the  "teachings  and  practices  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 
Stetson,"  I  have  never  found  anything  at  variance  with 
the  teachings  of  Mrs.  Eddy  as  shown  in  Science  ■J^^^Q^^^^^J^,^ 
and  Health  and  in  her  other  writings.  These  teaching 
writings  planted  a  seed  in  my  consciousness 
and  the  subsequent  "teachings  and  practices  of  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson"  have  encouraged  and  enriched  this 
planting. 

I  am  rejoiced  to  have  the  opportunity  so  graciously 
accorded  me  by  divine  Love  to  make  this  statement  to 
you,  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  who  I  feel  have 
been  subjected  to  continuous  misrepresentation  of  one  who 
has  done  much  to  upbuild  the  Cause  of  Christian  Science 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  It  would  take  more  than 
human  power  to  offset  the  malpractice  of  such  misrepre- 
sentation and  reversal,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that  no 
feeling  of  resentment  is  possible. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)      Sibyl  Marvin  Huse. 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 


192      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Reply  of  Mrs.  M.  Augusta  Aikman 

New  York  City, 

February  15,  1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — ^Although  I  feel  that  I  might 
question  your  right  to  ask  of  me  the  questions  contained 
in  your  letter  of  February  the  twelfth,  I  am  glad  of  the 
opportunity  thus  afforded  me  of  stating  to  you  my  position 
as  a  student  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 

Considering  the  events  that  have  occurred  during  the 
past  half  year,  wonderful  and  interesting  as  they  are,  I 
find  myself  supremely  grateful  for  the  spiritually 
adheres  to  advanced  teaching  of  Christian  Science  worked 
Mrs.  stetson's Qy^^  by  Mrs.  Stctsou  in  the  practitioners'  meet- 
ings  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New 
York  City,  during  the  year  prior  to  this  time.  Those 
teachings  have  enabled  me  to  be  a  more  consecrated 
Christian,  to  do  more  Christly  healing,  and  to  meet  more 
intelligently  the  demands  of  Christian  Science  contained 
in  the  writings  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  as 
I  interpret  and  comprehend  them,  and  to  handle  with 
a  clearer  understanding  the  claim  of  malicious  animal 
magnetism.  I  see  more  clearly  than  ever  before  that  Mrs. 
Stetson  is  following  with  wonderful  spiritual  insight  the 
teachings  of  our  Master,  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  of  her 
Teacher,  Mary  Baker  Eddy;  and  that  her  demonstration 
of  these  divine  metaphysics  will  prevent  her  from  ever 
being  separated  from  her  Leader  and  Teacher,  in  accord- 
ance with  Mrs.  Eddy's  instructions  to  her. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  held  in  our  church  the  eighteenth 
of  January  last,  ...  I  felt  the  house  of  God  was  desecrated. 
Condemns  ^^"^  ^  ^"^  ^^^^  ^^^  °^^  belovcd  Leader  known  of 
Annual  Meet-  thcsc  proceedings  and  conduct,  she  could  not 
mg  methods  ^^^^  approved  of  them,  and  would  have  con- 
demned them  as  absolutely  unscientific.  I  have,  therefore, 
found  no  occasion  or  opportunity  for  "Christian  fellowship 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       193 

with  the  present  officers  of"  the  church.  I  am  daily  striv- 
ing to  comply  with  the  request  of  our  beloved  Leader  to 
"Abide  in  Truth, "^  and  to  be  able  to  say  as  she  does  in 
Miscellaneous  Writings,  page  thirteen,  "The  only  justice 
of  which  I  feel  at  present  capable,  is  mercy  and  charity 
toward  every  one, — just  so  far  as  one  and  all  permit  me  to 
exercise  these  sentiments  toward  them, — taking  special 
care  to  mind  my  own  business." 

Very  sincerely, 
(Signed)      M.  Augusta  Aikman. 

Reply  of  Mrs.  Amelia  S.  Rowbotham 

New  York  City, 

February  15, 1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 
My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  replying  to  your  letter  of 
February  12, 1  believe  that  what  I  received  from  my  teacher, 

Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  in  the  meetings  „     „ 

°  1  r  J  Mrs.  Row- 
referred  to,  was  in  absolute  and  perfect  accord  botham  says 
with  Christian  Science  as  revealed  in  Science  she  received 

.  pure  teaching 

and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  and  the 
lesser  writings  of  my  revered  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy, 

It  is  to  Mrs.  Stetson's  spiritual  teaching  that  I  owe  my 
ability  to  intelligently  handle  aggressive  mental  suggestion, 
and  all  the  false  claims  of  animal  magnetism;  to  gain  step 
by  step  that  understanding  of  divine  metaphysics  which 
is  enabling  me  to  "lay  hold  on  eternal  life,"  and  to  build 
in  my  consciousness  the  "house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens," — the  true  Church. 

As  I  do  not  approve  of,  and  therefore  cannot  endorse, 
the  methods  employed  at  the  Annual  Meeting  on  January 
18  last,  .  .  .  I  will  answer  Question  2,  by  quoting 
from  Scripture,  as  follows:  "Can  two  walk  to-    ing^criticfsed 
gether,  except  they  be  agreed?  "  (Amos  3:3.)    To 
my  sense  that  meeting  was  conducted  with  an  utter  dis- 

» Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 
13 


194      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

regard  of  all  that  should  characterize  a  Christian  Science 
meeting  which  has  been  called  to  work  out  in  harmony  the 
welfare  of  a  Christian  body  of  people.  .  .  .  However, 
our  Leader  has  given  us  this  comforting  assurance  in  Science 
and  Health,  page  239,  line  12:  "Let  it  be  understood  that 
success  in  error  is  defeat  in  Truth." 

In  replying  to  Question  3,  I  will  say  that  I  am  striving 
daily  and  hourly  to  "Abide  in  Truth, "^  as  my  beloved 
Leader  requested  me  to  do;  to  support  the  Directors  of 
The  Mother  Church,  by  gaining  that  Mind  "  which  was 
also  in  Christ  Jesus,"  and  endeavoring  to  rise  higher  and 
higher  in  the  apprehension  of  that  divine  Principle  which 
alone  will  enable  me  to  accomplish  the  greater  works,  thus 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  Spirit,  and  gaining  my  inherit- 
ance as  a  child  of  God. 

Let  me  close  by  referring  you  to  the  words  of  our  beloved 
Leader,  on  page  40,  line  19,  of  Science  and  Health:  "If  a 
career  so  great  and  good  as  that  of  Jesus  could  not  avert  a 
felon's  fate,  lesser  apostles  of  Truth  may  endure  human  bru- 
tality without  murmuring,  rejoicing  to  enter  into  fellowship 
with  him  through  the  triumphal  arch  of  Truth  and  Love," 
Yours  truly, 
(Signed)  Amelia  S.  Rowbotham. 

Reply  of  Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield 

New  York  City, 

February  16,  1910. 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Esq.,  Secretary  of 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — I  have  the  pleasure  to  acknowledge 
receipt  of  your  favor  of  the  12th  instant,  calling  attention 
to  the  time  that  has  elapsed  since  the  end  of  the  practi- 
tioners' meetings  in  our  church,  and  asking  certain  questions 
pertaining  thereto. 

*  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       195 

The  past  six  months  have  indeed  furnished  the  oppor- 
tunity for  a  great  deal  of  very  serious  thinking,  so  fraught 
have  they  been  with  occurrences  of  an  extraordinary 
character  and  momentous  significance,  which  have  taught 
many  useful  lessons. 

It  seems  unnecessary  to  ask  me  where  I  stand,  when  it 
has  been  my  privilege  to  occupy  so  prominent  a  position 
in  recent  public  utterances,  and  to  so  openly  declare  my 
gratitude  and  allegiance  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 

In  response,  however,  to  your  first  inquiry,  let  me  say, 
in  regard  to  Mrs.  Stetson's  teachings  at  such  of  the  meetings 
of  our  practitioners  as  I  attended  last  year,  that  ^^  Hatfield's 
the  general  effect  of  them  was  to  me  promotive  estimate  of 
of  spiritual  growth,  uplifting  in  their  character  "eeSn^s 
and  highly  metaphysical,  "But  the  natural  man 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him:  neither  can  he  know  them,  because 
they  are  spiritually  discerned"  (I  Cor.  2:  14).  Many 
misinterpretations  of  these  teachings  have  been  corrected 
in  the  evidence  before  our  Committee  of  Inquiry  last  fall. 

After  twenty-two  years'  experience  in  Christian  Science, 
and  constant  association  with  Mrs.  Stetson  in  religious 
work  during  all  that  time,  I  see  no  reason  to  change  my 
strong  and  unwavering  conviction  of  her  absolute  sincerity 
and  earnest  devotion  to  the  Cause  of  Christian  Science; 
faithful,  brave,  self-sacrificing,  always  teaching  her  students 
to  be  loyal  to  Mrs.  Eddy  and  her  teachings,  and  stimulat- 
ing them  to  further  progress  and  attainments  by  her  con- 
secrated and  exemplary  Christian  life. 

To  the  second  inquiry,  I  would  reply,  that  I  observe 
Christian  fellowship  with  the  present  officers  of  our  church, 
endeavoring  to  hold  them  in  the  purest  concep- 
tion as  "God's  perfect  image  and  likeness,"  endorse 
and  to  "think  no  evil,"  to  "bear  all  things,  methods 
believe  all  things,  hope  all  things,  endure  all  ooiden^Ruie 
things,"  knowing  that  "Love  never  faileth" 
(I  Cor.  13:  5,  7,  8).     But  I  cannot  endorse  those  methods 


196      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

which  do  not  meet  my  views  of  real  democratic  govern- 
ment, and  the  proper  conduct  of  church  matters  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Golden  Rule  and  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount. 

My  answer  to  your  third  question  is,  that  my  loyalty 
to  Mrs.  Eddy  teaches  me  to  seek  strength  and  spiritual 
power,  so  as  to  develop  good  qualities  spontane- 
Leader"  ously  and  impersonally.  "Let  another  man 
praise  thee,  and  not  thine  own  mouth"  (Pro- 
verbs 27:  2).  Mrs.  Eddy's  beautiful  ideal  of  the  mission 
of  The  Mother  Church  to  "reflect  in  some  degree  the 
Church  Universal  and  Triumphant,"^  governed  and  gov- 
erning by  the  law  of  divine  Love  and  Truth,  inspires  me 
to  hope  and  work  for  the  confirmation  of  her  desire  that 
our  church  may  "Abide  in  Truth,  in  fellowship  with  and 
obedience  to  The  Mother  Church,"^  and  that  true  unity, 
peace,  and  healing  power  may  result  from  this  perfect 
realization. 

Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)     E.  F.  Hatfield. 

Reply  of  Mrs.  Kate  Y.  Remer 

New  York  City, 
February  16,  19 10. 

My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — I  want  to  thank  the  Christian 
Science  Board  of  Directors  for  giving  me  this  privilege  and 
opportunity  of  stating  plainly  and  as  directly 
deciares^Mrs;  ^^  possiblc  my  position  as  a  student  of  Mrs. 
stetson  taught  Augusta  E.  Stctson,  C.S.D.  I  believe  every- 
tian^scl'ence  thing  that  Mrs.  Stetson  has  taught  and  practised 
to  be  pure,  true  Christian  Science.  After  care- 
ful and  consecrated  study,  I  can  not  find  anything  in  Mrs. 
Stetson's  teaching  that  is  not  in  exact  accord  with  the  Bible 
and  our  beloved  Leader's  writings.  I  attended  the  daily 
practitioners'  meetings  of  my  own  free  will,  and  consented 

'  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church,  page  19. 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  voliirae  xii.,  page  270. 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       197 

to  everything  that  was  done  and  said  by  Mrs.  Stetson.  We 
were  a  holy  priesthood,  with  no  thought  of  personality, 
with  but  one  desire, — the  purification  of  sense  and  self, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  belief  in  impersonal  evil,  both 
within  and  without.  Malpractice  has  tried  to  do  every- 
thing in  its  power  to  reverse  our  motives  and  the  spiritual 
import  of  the  work  done;  but  God,  who  knows  the  hearts 
of  men,  will  bless  those  unselfed  hours  of  consecration  and 
holiness  in  His  own  time  and  in  His  own  way. 

You  ask  whether  I  am  living  and  working  in  Christian 
fellowship  with  the  present  officers  of  First  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City.  I  am  living  objects  to 
up  to  my  highest  standard  of  what  Christian  methods  of 
fellowship  means,  and  am  in  favor  of  democratic  oncers 

government,  but  not  with  .  .  .  methods  such  as  were 
used  ...  at  our  Annual  Meeting.  That  meeting  was 
neither  democratic  nor  scientific  in  its  character,  and  called 
forth  from  me  all  the  high  spiritual,  metaphysical  teaching 
I  had  received  to  make  these  conditions  unreal ;  and  I  know 
many  men  of  unquestionable  business  and  professional 
reputation  felt  the  same  way.  I  thanked  God  and  was 
grateful  beyond  words  at  that  time  that  I  had  been  taught 
to  handle  the  false  claims  of  malpractice  and  animal 
magnetism. 

As  I  follow  faithfully  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and 
the  Golden  Rule,  praying  with  all  my  heart  for  that  same 
Mind  "which  was  also  in  Christ  Tesus,"  I  am         t-  •     • 

Living  in 

living  in  Christian  fellowship  with  all  God's  Christian 
children,  and  am  helping  to  establish  the  king-  fellowship 
dom  of  heaven  on  earth.  On  page  476  of  Science  and 
Health  we  read:  "Jesus  beheld  in  Science  the  perfect  man, 
who  appeared  to  him  where  sinning  mortal  man  appears 
to  mortals.  In  this  perfect  man  the  Saviour  saw  God's 
own  likeness,  and  this  correct  view  of  man  healed  the  sick." 
I  am  trying  just  as  earnestly  and  prayerfully  as  I  know 
how  to  comply  with  the  request  of  our  beloved  Leader, 
Mrs.   Eddy,   to   "support  the   Directors  of  The   Mother 


198      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Church,  and  unite  with  those  in  your  [our]  church  who  are 
supporting  The  Mother  Church  Directors."^  My  sincere 
desire  is  to  "Abide  in  Truth,  in  fellowship  with  and  obedi- 
ence to  The  Mother  Church."  ^  I  know  "in  this  way  God 
will  bless  and  prosper"  me.  My  desire  to  do  right  is  so  true 
and  honest  that  I  know  divine  Love  will  remove  from  my 
consciousness  everything  unlike  the  pure  "white  Christ,"^ 
and  will  give  me  the  strength  and  the  love  to  endure  the 
chastening.  "This  is  the  law  of  Truth  to  error,  'Thou 
shalt  surely  die.'  This  law  is  a  divine  energy.  Mortals 
cannot  prevent  the  fulfilment  of  this  law;  it  covers  all  sin 
and  its  effects"  {Miscellaneous  Writings,  p.  208). 
Believe  me. 

Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)    Kate  Y.  Remer. 

Reply  of  Mrs.  Anna  A.  Holden 

New  York  City, 

February  16,  191  o. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Gentlemen: — I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of  February 
12,  and  complying  with  your  request  to  give  "plain  and 
direct  answers"  to  the  questions  asked,  will  say: 

I  have  prayerfully  considered  the  talks  given  in  the  practi- 
tioners* meetings;  have  weighed   them  in  the  balance   of 
Truth  and  Love;  have  held  them  in  the  clear 

Mrs.  Holden     ,.,...,.,,  , 

says  Mrs.       hght  01  Spiritual  unfoldment,  and  as  a  result, 
stetson  fjj^(^  i\^Q  life-work  as  well  as  the  daily  example 

was  right  .        .        ,  .  .  i  -n  x 

and  practice  m  the  meetings  of  my  teacher,  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.  S.  D.,  coincide  with  and  emphasize 
all  our  beloved  Leader's,  Mrs.  Eddy's,  teachings  in  Science 
and  Health  and  all  her  other  writings;  therefore  they  are 
in  accordance  with  Christian  Science. 

I  am  endeavoring  to  keep  the  faith  in  true  Christian 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 
'Miscellaneous  Writings,  page  212. 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       199 

fellowship  with  the  officers    of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,   remembering    Mrs.    Eddy's    advice,    given    on 
page  138  of  Miscellaneous    Writings:    "For    students    to 
work  together  is  not  always  to  cooperate,  but      jj^g  j.^^ 
sometimes  to  coelbow!      Each  student  should  defines 

seek  alone  the  guidance  of  our  common  Father —  cooperation 
even  the  divine  Principle  which  he  claims  to  demonstrate, 
— and  especially  should  he  prove  his  faith  by  works,  ethic- 
ally, physically,  and  spiritually." 

I  am  complying  with  the  request  of  our  Leader,  Mrs. 
Eddy,  by  "acknowledging  pure  Mind  as  absolute  and 
entire,  and  that  evil  is  naught,  although  it  seems  to  be;" 
also  that,  "Pure  Mind  gives  out  an  atmosphere  that  heals 
and  saves"  {Miscellaneous  Writings,  p.  260). 
Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)    Anna  Airman  Holden. 

Reply  of  Miss  Mary  E.  Pearson 

Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey, 

February  16,  1910. 
Mr.  J.  V.  DiTTEMORE. 

Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — Your  letter  dated  Feb.  12th  inst. 
was  forwarded  to  me  here  and  has  just  been  received.  I 
trust  the  delay  caused  through  the  mail  will  not  Miss  Pear- 
cause  you  any  inconvenience.  Notwithstanding  ^*>°'^  answer 
the  fact  that  you  inferred  in  your  letter  to  me,  dated  Oct. 
8th,  1909,  that  I  testified  falsely  when  before  the  Board  of 
Directors,  I  submit  the  following  answers  to  your  questions: 

First  let  me  say,  I  can  only  testify  of  what  I  have  seen 
and  heard  myself  and  cannot  condemn  any  one  on  hearsay 
evidence. 

I.  Do  you  believe  that  what  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  and 
practised  as  Christian  Science  in  said  meetings  ^^^  Q^^^_ 
between  December  i,  1908,  and  the  end  of  said  son's  inter- 
meetings  was  in  accordance  with  Christian  vpas'spi'r^irua'i 
Science,  or  contrary  thereto? 

Ans.    All  that  I  heard  taught  by  Mrs.  Stetson  at  said 


200      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

meetings  when  I  was  present,  I  consider  to  be  in  strict 
accord  with  the  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Bible  and 
all  Mrs.  Eddy's  writings,  therefore,  with  Christian  Science. 

2.  Are  you  living  and  working  in  Christian  fellowship 
with  the  present  oflScers  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City? 

Ans.     I  am. 

3.  What,  if  anything,  have  you  done  in  order  to  comply 
with  the  request  of  our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  which  was  read 
at  the  meeting  of  said  branch  church  on  November  15, 
1909? 

Ans.  I  have  done  and  shall  continue  to  do,  as  it  has 
always  been  my  endeavor,  to  "be  subject  unto  the  higher 
powers,"  for  "the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God" 
(Rom.  13:  i). 

Should  you  wish  to  communicate  with  me  during  the 
next  few  weeks,  I  can  be  found  at  the  above  address,  or 
any  communication  sent  to  my  New  York  address  will  be 
forwarded  to  me. 

Most  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Mary  E.  Pearson. 

Reply  of  Miss  Margaret  Duncan 

New  York  City, 
February  16,  1910. 

To  The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors. 

Gentlemen: — Your  communication  of  February  12th  is 
at  hand,  and  in  reply  I  submit  the  following  answers  to 

your  questions.  But  before  doing  so,  allow  me 
can's  te^j      ^^  ^^y>  ^°^  °^^y  ^^  justicc  to  mysclf  but  to  you, 

that  I  feel  in  requesting  these  answers  you  have 
gone  beyond  the  privilege  of  your  office.  However,  I  am 
very  glad  that  you  have  afforded  me  the  opportunity 
of  giving  "a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  [me]"  (I  Peter 
3:15). 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       201 
I. 

Not  only  during  the  past  six  months,  but  for  over  eighteen 
years,  I  have  studied  carefully  and  prayerfully  the  writings 
of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and  Eighteen 
I  find  nothing  in  those  writings  that  would  lead  years  o( 
me  to  believe  I  was  ever  taught  anything  by  e^p«"^°*=® 
my  teacher,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  not  in  ac- 
cord with  Mrs.  Eddy's  teaching.  On  the  contrary,  all 
that  I  have  read  and  studied  confirms  my  conviction  that 
I  have  been  taught  true  Christian  Science  by  Mrs.  Stet- 
son. Also  that  her  talks  to  her  students,  in  the  practition- 
ers' meetings,  were  based  on  our  Leader's  words  and  works. 

My  adherence  to  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  has  never  been 
from  "a  mistaken  sense  of  personal  loyalty."  The  correct 
application  of  her  teaching  has  healed  me,  and 
has  been  a  blessing,  enabling  me  to  heal  others  ^y  pers^au^ty 
of  sin  and  disease.  I  never  for  a  moment  for- 
get that  all  any  Christian  Scientist  has,  is  that  which  has 
come  from  Mrs.  Eddy.  She  is  the  Discoverer  and  Founder 
of  Christian  Science  and  its  only  Leader.  Mrs.  Stetson 
taught  me  this  and  I  am  loyal  to  it  and  grateful  for  it. 

II. 

In  I  Kings  3:  9,  we  read  that  Solomon  asked  for  an 
understanding  heart  that  he  might  "discern  between  good 
and  bad."  I  also  have  prayed  for  the  same  An  under- 
understanding,  and  I  trust  that  God  has  given  standing 
me  discernment  in  proportion  as  I  have  made 
practical  the  teachings  laid  down  in  the  Bible  and  in  our 
Leader's  writings.  .  .  . 

III. 

I  have  done  all  that  a  consistent  Christian  Scientist 
could  to  follow  our  Leader's  advice  given  to  Abiding  in 
First  Church  in  New  York  on  November  15th  "^'"^^ 

last.       I    have    endeavored    to    take   out    of    my    own 


202       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

thought  all  belief  in  the  reality  of  evil  and  to  "Abide  in 
Truth.'" 

Sincerely, 
(Signed)      Margaret  Duncan. 

Reply  of  Mr.  Steuart  C.  Rowbotham 

New  York  City, 

February  i6,  19  lo. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 
Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — Although  I  question  your  pre- 
Mr.  Row-       rogative  to  demand  of  me  an  answer  to  these 

botham's  .  ,,  t  1 

statement  questions,    I  herewith  comply : 

I.  I  not  only  believe  but  know  that  my  teacher,  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  has  taught  me  the  divine 
Mrs  stetson  mctaphysics  of  Christian  Science  as  found  in 
taught  divine  the  writings  of  our  great  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy, 
metap  ysics  ^^^  j  ^^^  know  that  the  spiritual  discussion 
and  explanation  of  Christian  Science  practice, — the  de- 
struction of  malicious  animal  magnetism  and  malpractice, 
with  Truth,  received  in  "said  meetings,"  has  been  and  is  of 
great  benefit  to  me  in  my  work  with  patients. 

II.  I  am  honestly  endeavoring  to  reflect  and  demon- 
strate divine  Love.  The  Scriptures  say:  "Where  the  Spirit 
Cannot ap-  ^^  ^^^  ^o^*^  i^'  ^^^^^  ^^  liberty"  (II  Cor.  3:  17). 
prove  wrong  Mrs.  Eddy  says:  "Love  and  Truth  make  free, 
"^^  °  ^  but  evil  and  error  lead  into  captivity"  {Science 
and  Health,  p.  227).  It  is,  therefore,  impossible  for  me  to 
affiliate  with  the  undemocratic  methods  in  evidence  at  the 
public  meetings  held  in  my  church,  ...  or  to  agree  with 
the  unjust  and  untruthful  allusions  to  myself,  which  have 
not  been  denied  by  our  .  .  .  Publication  Committee. 

III.  I  have  always  been  taught  absolute  and  instant 
Was  taught  obedicncc  to  the  requests  of  my  beloved  Leader, 
obedience  to    Mrs.   Eddy,  and    her    sweet    loving    message 

brought  to  my  consciousness  joy  and  spiritual 
uplifting,   and  with  sincere  and  prayerful  effort  I  have 
»  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners      203 

striven   to  destroy  the  false  claim  of  malicious  animal 
magnetism,  and  "Abide  in  Truth."  ^ 
Yours  truly, 
(Signed)    Steuart  C.  Rowbotham,  C.S. 

Reply  of  Mrs.  Catherine  B.  Gillpatrick 

New  York  City, 
February  i6,  1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

Boston,  Mass. 

Gentlemen: — In  reply  to  your  communication  of  Febru- 
ary twelfth,  by  your  Secretary,  Mr.  John  V.  Dittemore, 
I  have  to  say : 

1st.  That  as  you  have  stated,  the  events  of  the  past 
six  months  have  indeed  given  much  food  for  reflection. 
Weighed  in  the  scales  of  divine  Love,  your  mode  Mrs.  Giii- 
of  procedure  seems  to  me  to  have  been  most  patr'ck  deems 

.         .»  T  •  f      1  •         Mrs.  Stetson 

unchristl}^   and   unscientific.     In   view  of  this,  amply 

I  feel  that  my  teacher,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  justified 
C.S.D.,  has  been  amply  justified,  both  in  her  estimate  of 
the  exigencies  and  her  method  of  handling  them  with  the 
practitioners,  and  in  so  doing  has  acted  in  accord  with  the 
spirit  and  practice  of  our  revered  Leader  when  she,  Mrs. 
Eddy,  has  had  to  meet  the  stress  of  conflicting  mental 
forces  in  certain  great  crises.  Hence  Mrs.  Stetson  has 
worked  in  accord  with  Christian  Science. 

2nd.  I  am  striving  to  live  in  fellowship  with  Truth  and 
Love,  and  so  am  "living  and  working  in  Christian  fellow- 
ship with  the  present  officers  of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  City,"  and  with  all  Christian  Scientists 
in  the  degree  that  they  are  doing  the  same,  since  there  is  no 
separation  in  the  one  Mind. 

3rd.     I  have  tried  to  live  and  work  as  much  as  possible 
in  accord  with  the  spirit  of  our  beloved  Leader's     Leaves  oth- 
teachings,  knowing  the  true  "support"  to  be      ers  to  their 
the  "foundations  of  Truth  and  Love,"  as  our        "'"'  '^ 
textbook  expresses  it  on  page  558.      When  the  means  and 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270. 


204       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

methods  of  the  present  administration  have  not  appealed 
to  my  spiritual  sense,  I  have  willingly  given  a  free  hand 
personally,  to  those  in  authority,  recognizing  their  right  to 
work  out  conditions  according  to  their  own  light  and  lead- 
ing, while  reserving  to  myself  my  inalienable  rights  of 
"self-government,  reason,  and  conscience,"  guaranteed  me 
by  Christian  Science  (Science  and  Health,  p.  io6). 
Faithfully  in  Truth  and  Love, 
(Signed)    (Mrs.)  Catherine  B.  Gillpatrick,  C.S. 

Reply  of  Miss  Jessie  Tuttle  Colton 

New  York  City, 
February  17,  1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Mr.  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  order  to  answer  at  your  request 

the  three  questions  contained  in  your  letter  of  February  12, 

1910,  I  am  obliged  to   use  letter-form,  as  the 

Miss  Colton's  1  .  •  j  j.*  r    r^r.    '   j.'  o    • 

response  explanation  and  practice  of  Chnstian  Science 
by  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  in  practitioners' 
meetings  as  reported  to  you  is,  and  always  will  be,  erroneous. 
Therefore,  to  reply  from  that  basis  would  be  an  impossi- 
bility. Had  things  been  true  such  as  you  in  the  past  and 
present  accept  as  true  and  thereon  base  your  judgment, 
inquiries,  etc.,  I  also  would  thus  judge.  But,  as  the  case 
stands,  7,  not  you,  was  the  personal  witness  at  these  meet- 
ings, and  in  that  capacity  I  reply  to  your  questions. 

I.     I  believe  the  teaching  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 

C.S.D.,  during  the  ten  years  of  my  association  with  First 

Church   of   Christ,   Scientist,   New  York   City 

Mrs.  Stetson     .,      ,     _  ,  ,'  ^     .      ..    . 

taught  true      (iiicludmg  the  period  you  name) ,  is  divme  meta- 
Christian        physics  and  the  true  interpretation  of  the  Chris- 

Science 

tian  Science  textbook.  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  Discoverer 
and  Founder  of  Christian  Science,  therefore  our  forever 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       205 

Leader.  I  believe  the  practice  of  Christian  Science  by  Mrs. 
Stetson  in  accordance  with  her  teachings  is  the  scientific 
proof  of  her  having  correctly  received  the  divine  imparta- 
tion  of  this  Truth  from  her  Teacher,  the  Rev.  Mary  Baker 
Eddy.  The  occurrence  of  events  of  the  past  year  confirms 
this  to  me,  substantiates  the  statements  of  my  teacher, 
Mrs.  Stetson,  coincides  with  those  in  our  denominational 
textbook,  and  corroborates  the  promises  of  the  Scriptures. 
What  is  more,  I  believe  and  understand  from  deep  study 
of  Christian  Science  that  by  no  other  way  will  spiritual 
cooperation  be  reached  and  the  demonstration  of  the  text- 
book be  possible;  while  if  obeyed  in  the  absolute,  and  un- 
adulterated in  its  substance,  the  spiritual  light  which  follows 
is  Christian  Science — the  unity  with  our  Leader,  who  first 
received  the  Word  of  God,  and  by  whom  the  working  out  of 
eternal  ends  must  be  revealed. 

2.  This  being  my  understanding,  the  spiritual  coopera- 
tion with  officers  and  members  of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  of  New  York  City, — also  with  the  spiritual 
Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  in  Boston  and  cooperation 
its  members  from  every  land  and  clime,  is  my         ^f^  '*°p^ 

-'  and  prayer 

hope  and  earnest  prayer. 

3.  Therefore  through  scientific  adherence  to  and  daily 
study  and  practice  of  Christian  Science,  I  am  understand- 
ing more  and  more  how  to  comply  with  the  understand- 
words  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  ing  bow  to 
of  November  13th,  1909.  """^'^ 

For  the  privilege  of  assuring  you  of  my  loyalty  against 
the  false  evidence  borne  to  you,  which  has  caused  all  this 
misrepresentation  of  words  and  deeds,  I  am  gratefull 
Impersonal  evil  against  impersonal  good  cannot  succeed — 
though  it  strike  at  the  heart  of  God's  work — the  unity  of 
the  followers  of  Christ,  members  and  co-workers  of  The 
Mother  Church — they  will  unite  and  the  one  Mind  will 
reign! 

Yours  most  sincerely  in  the  bonds  of  Christ, 

(Signed)    Jessie  Tuttle  Colton. 


2o6       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Reply  of  Miss  Mary  R.  Pinney 

New  York  City, 

February  17,  1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

Boston,  Mass. 
Mr.  J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  Feb- 
ruary the  twelfth,  I  desire  to  answer  your  last  question  first. 

I  am  earnestly  striving  to  comply  with  the  request  of 
our  beloved  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy.  I  know  that  Mrs. 
„.    „.  Eddy  is  safely  guiding  consciousness  through  this 

Miss  Pinney  •    j       r  ,  ,       .  -,    ,  , 

loyal  to  period  of  moral  revolution,  and  her  words  are 

Leader  and  luminous  with  the  light  of  ever-present  Love. 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  who  has  been 
taught,  counselled,  guided,  and  commended  publicly  and 
privately  by  our  great  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  for  many  years, 
is  my  teacher.  I  find  her  teaching  in  perfect  accord  with 
the  Bible,  the  writings  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  the  Manual  and  Tenets 
of  the  Christian  Science  Church.  For  me  to  repudiate  Mrs. 
Stetson  and  her  teachings  would  be  for  me  to  repudiate  my 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy.  I  esteem  it  a  privilege,  therefore,  to 
declare  myself  a  loyal  student  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
C.S.D. 

I  am  uniting  with  and  supporting  all  in  our  church  who 
are  abiding  in  Truth, — the  truth  that  man  is  the  image  and 
Unites  with  li^cncss  of  God.  I  find  it  necessary  to  handle 
those  who  the  falsc  claim  of  malicious  animal  magnetism  as 
Truth  "'"*  ^^  tries,  to  usurp  the  rights  and  privileges  of  man, 
in  his  efforts  to  attain  and  maintain  spiritual 
freedom,  the  "liberty  of  the  sons  of  God."^ 

I  am  grateful  for  my  present  understanding  of  Christian 
Science,  and  I  wait  on  God,  who  is  the  justifier  of  all  good, 
to  make  plain  His  way  of  salvation  from  all  error,  and 
awaken  the  world  to  the  spiritual  reality  of  being,  that  God's 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xii.,  page  270, 
'Science  and  Health,  page  315. 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       207 

will  may  be  done,  His  kingdom  come  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven. 

Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)       Mary  R.  Pinney. 

Reply  of  Mrs.  Letitia  H.  Greene 

New  York  City, 
February  17,  1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 

My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the 
twelfth  inst.,  asking  me  to  state  my  views  in  regard  to  the 
teaching  of   Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  j^^.^ 

as  seen  in  the  light  of  recent  as  well  as  past  Greene's 
events,  and  also  to  state  my  position  in  respect  position 

to  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  I 
would  say: 

First:  Recent  events  have  strengthened  my  previous 
impressions  in  regard  to  the  instruction  given  me  by  my 
teacher,  Mrs.  Stetson.  I  came  into  Christian  practitioners' 
Science  desiring  a  practical  religion,  and  when  I  meetings 
can  see  the  statements  in  Science  and  Health  christian 
and  the  Bible  proved  in  daily  living,  through  Science 

their  practical  application,  and  I  do  see  it,  it  is  to  my  sense 
like  proving  an  example  in  mathematics.  What  was ' '  taught 
and  practised"  at  the  practitioners'  meetings  was  in  accord 
with  Christian  Science,  and  I  find  its  basis  in  Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  our  beloved  Leader,  the 
Rev,  Mary  Baker  Eddy.  When  what  was  heard  at  those 
meetings  is  decried  and  condemned  by  a  small  percentage 
of  those  present,  I  am  led  to  infer  that  it  was  misunderstood 
and  therefore  misapplied. 

Second:    While  my  desire  and  endeavor  is  to  reflect  the 


2o8       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Christ-mind  to   the  members  of   First  Church,   and  to 
see   God's  idea  in  each  one,  I  can   neither  approve  nor 
endorse     the    methods    used    at    our    Annual 
endorsed'^"*    Meeting    in    putting    the    present    officers    in 
their  positions. 
Third:     I  am  striving  to  hold  to  the  good  in  others,  as 
well  as  in  myself;  to  separate  myself  from  every  mortal 
thought  in  my  own  consciousness;  every  "sup- 
the  go° V°      position  of  error"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  503, 
line  11),  and  to  unite  in  Truth  and  Love  with  the 
universal  body,  of  which  we  are  all  members. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 
(Signed)    Letitia  H.  Greene. 

Reply  of  Mrs.  Mary  H.  Freshman 

New  York  City, 
February  19, 1910. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
J.  V.  Dittemore,  Secretary. 
My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  reply  to  your  questions  re- 
lating to  my  teacher,  Mrs.  Stetson,  I  can  only  reiterate 
Mrs.  Fresh-    what  I  Said  to  you  in  Boston,  that  I  find  no  fault 
man  says.  "I  jj^    j^gj.    teachings,    admonitions,    or    example. 

find  no  fault      _.  ,  .  ,  .   .     ^ 

in  her  Dunng  the  twenty-two  years  m  which  I  have 

teachings"  bccn  closcly  associatcd  with  her  in  building  up 
the  Cause  of  Christian  Science  in  this  city,  she  has  always 
been  firm  in  her  adherence  and  faithful  allegiance  to  God, 
to  her  Teacher  (our  revered  Leader)  and  to  the  Cause  of 
Christian  Science.  Her  words  and  works  have  inspired  my 
understanding  of  our  Leader's  writings,  that  clearly  inter- 
pret the  Bible  as  our  only  guide  to  eternal  Life. 

In  regard  to  the  present  officers,  God  will  guide  wisely, 
as  He  has  always  done,  the  affairs  of  First  Church  in  New 
York  City,  and  I  am  earnestly  striving  to  make  error  unreal 
both  in  myself  and  others. 

To  your  third  question  I  can  only  reply,  that  I  shall 


Position  of  Sixteen  Practitioners       209 

always  be  submissively  obedient  to  my  beloved  Leader's 
desires,  hoping  to  more  clearly  interpret  their  spiritual 
meanings  "through.  .  .  .  growth"  and  "loving 
God  supremely"  (Miscellaneous  Writings,  pp.  ^''e^ob^edient 
355,  328),  which  Mrs.  Eddy  says  is  necessary  in 
order  to  understand  the  Way-shower  who  is  going  before  us 
and  has  already  scaled  the  steep  ascent  of  Christian  Science. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Mary  H.  Freshman. 
14 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THE  MOTHER  CHURCH  ADMONITIONvS  OF 
SIXTEEN  PRACTITIONERS 

In  the  third  relation  of  The  Mother  Church  Directors 

with  the  practitioners  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scien- 

^  .,    tist,    New   York   City,    CUfford   P.    Smith, 

Judge  Smith  '  >-(  i      i 

"  admonishes"  First  Rcadcr  of  The  Mother  Church,  became 
Mr.  Hatfield  ^^^  admonishcr  of  sixteen  of  the  practitioners 
in  the  branch  church.  Here  he  meets  with  denials 
from  the  practitioners  of  various  assertions  made  in  his 
"  admonitions."  Note,  for  instance,  his  attitude  in  the 
following  "admonition"  of  Mr.  Edwin  F.Hatfield,  on 
March  li,  1910,  at  his  residence  in  New  York  City. 
Judge  Smith  had  brought  with  him  as  a  witness  a  Mr. 
Jackson.  There  were  four  persons  present,  including 
the  stenographer. 

"Admonition"  of  Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield 

Judge  Smith:  Mr.  Hatfield,  I  come  to  you  under  the 
By-Law  of  The  Mother  Church  and  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  but  how  you  will  receive  me 
will  be  your  own  affair.  You  do  not  need  to 
receive  me  at  all. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  We  want  always  to  receive  you  in 
your  official  capacity  as  well  as  socially. 

Judge  Smith  :  I  ask  you  to  see  me  alone  [referring  to 
stenographer's  presence],  but  I  don't  raise  any 
protest  to  your  receiving  me  any  way  you  please. 


210 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  211 

But  I  wish  to  make  it  clear  that  I  do  come  to 
you  in  accordance  with  the  Scripture.  What  I 
wish  to  say  is  that  I  want  to  admonish  you  to 
desist  from  violating  Section  2,  of  Article  XII., 
of  the  Church  Manual,  also  Section  12,  of  Article 
XI. 

Mr.  Hatfield:    What  are  those? 

Judge  Smith:  If  you  will  let  me  have  your  Manual 
I  will  read  them  to  you. 

Mr.  Hatfield:     Give  me  an  idea  of  what  they  are. 

Judge  Smith:  One  of  them  is  entitled  "Working 
Against  the  Cause" — working  against  the  in- 
terests of  The  Mother  Church. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  Of  course  I  deny  that  I  am  ^    . 

•^  Denies  work- 

working   against   the  Cause,  or  have      ing  against 

-I  the  Cause 

ever  done  so. 

Judge  Smith  :  I  admonish  you  also  in  regard  to  acting 
with  those  who  are  violating  the  By-Laws  of 
The  Mother  Church,  and  to  heed  Mrs.  Eddy's 
request  to  unite  with  those  who  are  supporting 
The  Mother  Church  Directors.  And  in  regard 
to  this  matter  of  teaching  and  practice,  you  still 
maintain  your  allegiance  to  the  sort  of  teaching 
and  practice  which  was  exemplified  in  those 
practitioners'  meetings  from  December,  1908, 
to  the  end  of  those  meetings. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  I  should  say  in  regard  to  that,  you 
make  no  specification.  Of  course  I  am  not  at 
liberty  to  deny  what  is  not  specified. 

Judge  Smith  :  One  of  the  important  specifications  is — 
this  practice  of  treating  people  without  their 
request  or  consent. 

Mr.  Hatfield  :  I  do  not  believe  in  treating  Denies  treat- 
people  without  their  consent.  consent 


212      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Judge  Smith  :  You  know  Mrs.  Stetson  did  and  exem- 
plified it  in  those  practitioners'  meetings. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  I  did  not  understand  it  so.  She 
taught  how  to  handle  animal  magnetism  and 
defend  one's  self  against  aggressive  mental 
suggestion. 

Judge  Smith  :  The  Directors  find  she  was  in  the  habit 
of  going  much  beyond  the  rule  in  that  regard. 
Instead  of  being  a  law  unto  herself,  she  endeav- 
ored to  be  a  law  unto  others,  and  taught  her 
students  so  to  be. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  I  do  not  imderstand  that  Mrs.  Stet- 
son or  any  of  her  students  have  any  desire  to  do 
anything  but  what  is  in  accordance  with  Mrs. 
Eddy's  teachings.  If  we  are  wrong  in  any  way 
we  want  to  be  set  right. 

Judge  Smith:  Do  you  want  to  be  set  right,  Mr. 
Hatfield? 

Mr.  Hatfield:    Certainly. 

Judge  Smith:  Are  you  not  fully  assiu-ed  that  you  are 
right  now,  and  that  the  Directors  are  wrong? 

Mr.  Hatfield  :  We  want  to  do  everything  that  is  right 
and  in  accordance  with  Mrs.  Eddy's  teachings. 

Judge  Smith:  Have  you  done  what  she  asked  in 
regard  to  uniting  with  those  who  are  supporting 
The  Mother  Church  Directors? 

Mr.  Hatfield:  We  have  done  so  as  far  as  we  could 
see  our  way. 

Judge  Smith  :  Your  letter  did  not  read  as  though  you 
did. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  If  you  specify  any  sin  of  omission  or 
commission — I  suppose  if  you  take  the  sins  of 
omission,  there  might  be  many.  Has  any  one 
made  any  charge  against  me? 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  213 

Judge  Smith  :    Not  yet. 

Mr.  Hatfield  :  If  there  is  any  charge,  we  can  take  it 
up;  but  there  should  be  certain  speci-  uo  specific 
fied  charges.  ^^"''^^ 

Judge  Smith  :  I  have  no  wish  to  condemn  any  person, 
— that  is  not  the  purpose  of  an  admonition. 
It  is  to  warn  and  to  urge  and  to  counsel  and 
advise,  and  so  on — not  to  condemn  nor  to 
punish. 

Mr.  Hatfield  :  I  will  accept  that.  If  there  is  anything 
wrong  we  are  doing,  we  shall  be  very  glad  to 
correct  it.  There  is  some  room  for  difference  of 
opinion,  I  presume? 

Judge  Smith  :  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  room  for  the 
practice  of  remanding  people  six  feet  under  the 
ground,  nor  treating  people  on  the  basis  of  their 
being  devils,  or  so  full  of  evil  that  their  bodies 
must  go  out. 

Mr.  Hatfield:    Judge  Smith,  I  have  never  done  that. 

Judge  Smith  :     You  believe  in  one  who  does  that. 

Mr.  Hatfield:     I  believe  in  Mrs.  Stetson's  sincerity. 

Judge  Smith:  You  are  throwing  the  weight  of  your 
influence  in  the  scale  in  upholding  her  in  what 
she  does. 

Mr.  Hatfield:  I  am  not  upholding  her  in  anything 
but  what  is  right. 

Judge  Smith  :  You  know,  Mr.  Hatfield,  that  she  does 
treat  people  in  that  way. 

Mr.  Hatfield  :    I  have  not  so  understood  it. 

Judge  Smith:  Well,  I  suppose  that  is  about  all  that  is 
necessary  to  say.  /  have  admonished  ..^^^  ^^^ 
you,  and  you  can  throw  it  out  of  the  tbioyr  it  out  ot 
window  or  heed  it,  just  as  you  choose. 

Mr.  Hatfield:     I  do  not  throw  anything  out  of  the 


214      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

window.     All  I  want  is  a  specific  charge  as  to 
what  I  have  done. 
JtTDGE  Smith:     If  you  wish  to  hear  that,  I  shall  be  glad 
to  go  over  it  with  you. 

(Judge  Smith  then  arose  and  departed  of  his  own 
accord.) 

"Admonition"  of  Mr.  Arnold  Blome 

Mr.  Arnold  Blome  was  admonished  on  March  7,  19 10, 
at  two  o'clock  P.M.,  at  his  residence  in  New  York  City. 
„    ,     ,^     According    to    a    stenographic    record,    Mr. 

Mr.  Arnold  .  o      x- 

Biome "  ad-  Blomc  cvinccd  a  desire  to  have  Judge  Smith 
monished"  pQ^j^^  q^^  whcrcin  hc  was  regarded  as  in 
error.  But  that  purpose  Judge  Smith  mistook  for  a 
desire  to  argue  with  him.  After  the  courtesy  of  intro- 
duction, Mr.  Blome  said: 

Mr.  Blome:  I  received  your  letter  on  Saturday  and 
I  suppose  you  got  my  answer. 

Judge  Smith:    Yes!    I  come  to  you  under 
No  specific  the  provisions  of  the  By-Law,  to  ad- 

charges  monish  you. 

Mr.  Blome:  Well,  Judge,  you  came  to  admonish  me 
for  what.f* 

Judge  Smith:  To  admonish  you  individually;  first, 
because  you  adhere  to  the  teachings  and  prac- 
tices which  are  not  Christian  Science  and  which 
are  entirely  repudiated  by  the  Leader. 

The  second  thing  is  that  there  has  been  a  very 
marked  opposition  to  the  By-Laws  of  The 
Mother  Church — the  section  of  the  By-Law 
entitled,  "Working  Against  the  Cause. " 

We  had  hoped  you  would  have  seen  the  error 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  215 

of  your  ways,  as  long  as  some  six  months  have 
passed  since  the  practitioners'  meetings  in  First 
Church. 

Mr.  Blome:  According  to  Article  XII.,  Section  2, 
of  the  Church  Manual,  to  which  you  refer  in 
your  letter,  what  is  the  specific  charge  against  me 
that  I  need  to  be  admonished? 

Judge  Smith  :  Your  general  conduct,  mental  attitude, 
and  adhering  to  the  teachings  and  practices 
which  are  contrary  to  Christian  Science. 

Mr.  Blome:  Have  I  been  tried?  It  seems  to  me  that 
I  should  be  tried  first  before  I  receive  an  ad- 
monition. 

Judge  Smith:  The  object  of  an  admonition  is  not  to 
punish  a  man,  but  to  prevent  him  from  taking 
the  wrong  course. 

Mr.  Blome:  But  must  there  not  be  a  specific  charge 
and  some  one  to  make  it  which  demands  an 
admonition? 

Judge  Smith  :  The  time  for  charge  has  not  come  and 
I  hope  it  will  never  come;  but  as  man  to  man,  as 
member  to  member,  as  First  Reader  to  a  member, 
I  want  to  admonish  you. 

Mr.  Blome:  In  my  last  letter  received  from  the 
Directors — from  Mr.  Dittemore — he  said,  "  Come 
out  from  the  domination  under  which  , 

Not  following 

you  are  labormg.  I  have  been  finite  per- 
thinking  this  over  quite  considerably,  sonahty 

and  am  wondering  whether  the  Directors  ex- 
pect me  to  come  out  from  under  the  supposed 
domination  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and  come  right 
under  the  domination  of  the  Directors  of  The 
Mother  Church.  Judge,  I  care  not  to  follow  finite 
personality  either  here  in  New  York  or  in  Boston. 


2i6      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Judge   Smith:    Oh,   is    that  your  attitude 
Mother  Church  toward  the  highest  tribunal  of  Chris- 

Directors  ^ian  Scieiice? 

highest  tn-  .       . 

bunai  of        MR.  Blome:     I  must  msist  upon  my  mdivid- 

sdence?  ^^^  Hghts.     I  think  I  have  a  right  as 

an   American    citizen    and    Christian 

Scientist  to  my  own  conviction  of  Truth. 
Judge  Smith  :    Are  you  then  supporting  the  Directors 

of  The  Mother  Church? 
Mr.  Blome  :   I  beheve  I  am  in  the  true  sense  of  support. 
Judge  Smith:    Are  you  aware  that   Mrs.   Stetson's 

teachings  are  very  different  from  Mrs.  Eddy's 

in  her  writings? 

Mr.  Blome:    That  depends  on  the  spiritual 
Mrs.  stet-  interpretation.      I     do     not     believe 

son's  teach- 
ings in  accord  that  her  teaching  is  wrong.     I  believe 

^lT£ltl"  firmly  her  teaching  is  in  accord  with 

Science  and  Health. 

Judge  Smith:  In  that  composite  letter,  where  Mr. 
Fink  said,  "I  am  obedient  only  as  I  am  respon- 
sive to  your  mental  touch,"  do  you  beheve  that 
is  right? 

Mr.  Blome:  Yes,  perfectly  right,  in  the  sense  that 
Mr.   Fink   wrote  it.     He  has  learned   we  are 

"We are        mental  beings;  that  we  are  either  channels 

mental  fop    the    mortal    thought,    or   channels   for 

beings"  ° 

the  immortal  thought.  We  must  be  chan- 
nels at  all  times.  Now  does  not  Mr.  Fink 
mean  he  is  responsive  to  the  touch  of  Love 
reflected? 
Judge  Smith:  He  did  not  say,  I  am  responsive  to 
Love.  He  said,  I  am  responsive  to  Augusta  E. 
Stetson.  No  human  being  reflects  a  divine 
touch,  and  that  is  what  we  all  are.     I  see  I  can- 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  217 

not  convince  you.     You  can  accept  admonition 
or  leave  it. 

(Getting  up  to  leave.) 

Mr.  Blome:  Please  sit  down.  I  am  asking  for  infor- 
mation. I  have  been  studying  to  find  where  I 
am  wrong  and  do  not  find  it.  In  Science  and 
Health,  page  560,  line  10,  we  read: 

Heaven  represents  harmony,  and  divine  Science 
interprets  the  Principle  of  heavenly  harmony.  The 
great  miracle,  to  human  sense,  is  divine 
Love,  and  the  grand  necessity  of  existence  and  idea 
is  to  gain  the  true  idea  of  what  constitutes 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  man.  This  goal  is  never 
reached  while  we  hate  our  neighbor  or  entertain  a 
false  estimate  of  anyone  whom  God  has  appointed 
to  voice  His  Word.  Again,  without  a  correct 
sense  of  its  highest  visible  idea  [note  visible,  Judge], 
we  can  never  understand  the  divine  Principle. 

I  interpret  this  to  mean  that  Mrs.  Eddy,  our 
Leader,  is  the  "  highest  visible  idea  "  of  Principle 
and  that  Mrs.  Stetson  is  appointed  to  voice  His 
Word. 

Judge  Smith:  So  you  get  not  your  response  directly 
from  divine  Mind,  but  through  Mrs.  Stetson. 

Mr.  Blome:  I  go  to  Principle,  but  Principle  always 
manifests  in  idea;  through  my  Leader,  Mrs. 
Eddy,  and  my  teacher,  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  any 
one  who  manifests  Principle. 

Judge  Smith  :  Do  you  consider  Moses  as  God's  mani- 
festation? Do  you  think  you  are  responsive  to 
Moses'  touch? 


2i8      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mr.  Blome:     Moses  is  God's  idea  and  was  God's  voice 

to  his  age. 
Judge  Smith  :    I  see  there  is  no  way  of  getting  you  into 

the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

(Getting  up  again  to  leave.) 

Mr.  Blome:  Then  have  I  no  right  to  ask  you  ques- 
tions? 

Judge  Smith  :  If  I  can  help  you  I  will  be  glad  to,  but 
you  want  to  argue  me  out  of  it. 

Mr.  Blome:  No,  I  want  to  learn  from  you.  In  1902 
Message  to  The  Mother  Church  our  dear  Leader 
says,  "unity  of  God  and  man  is  not  the  dream 
of  a  heated  brain;  it  is  the  spirit  of  the  healing 
Christ,  that  dwelt  forever  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father,  and  should  abide  forever  in  man." 
How  shall  I  interpret  that? 

Judge  Smith:  It  is  for  you  to  interpret.  What  has 
that  got  to  do  with  taking  up  names  and  treat- 
ing people? 

Mr.  Blome:  We  have  not  spoken  about  that.  We 
were  speaking  about  the  mental  touch. 

Judge  Smith:  That  is  one  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  basic 
errors.     She  constantly  speaks  of  herself  as 

herself  as  an   an   idea  of  Principle,   the  manifestation   of 

Prlncfie"  God,  and  that  God  can  only  be  seen  or 
reached  through  her. 

Mr.  Blome:     She  never  taught  me  that. 

Judge  Smith  :    Why  can't  you  go  to  God  directly? 

Mr.  Blome:  I  do,  but  I  find  my  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy, 
and  my  teacher,  Mrs.  Stetson,  so  far  in  advance 
of  me  in  realization  that  it  is  easier  for  me  to 
hear  and  see  God  through  them. 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  219 

Judge  Smith:  I  say  He  has  a  manifestation,  but  I  do 
not  say  we  have  to  follow  the  manifestation. 

Mr.  Blome:  Mr.  Fink  did  not  say  he  was  responsive 
to  the  mental  touch  of  a  human  being, 

,_,,.,  .  TT       The  absolute 

but  to  the  Christ  consciousness.      He  truth 

was  speaking  in  the  absolute;  so  did 
I  in  that  letter. 

Judge  Smith  :    We  are  told  to  speak  the  truth. 

Mr.  Blome:  Is  not  that  speaking  the  truth  when  I 
say  that  God  and  His  idea  are  All-in-all? 

Judge  Smith:  Now,  Mr.  Blome,  if  you  have  a  sincere 
desire  to  do  what  is  right — a  sincere  desire  to 
put  yourself  right,  why  did  you  not  do  so  when 
you  had  a  good  opportunity  in  Boston?  The 
whole  fact  of  the  matter  is,  Mrs.  Stetson  since 
that  time  has  put  out  a  promulgation  here  in  the 
newspapers.  Mrs.  Stetson  has  not  taught  Chris- 
tian Science,  but  hypnotism,  by  addressing  people 
and  treating  them  without  their  consent.  You 
deny  what  Mrs.  Stetson  herself  has  admitted 
was  wrong.  She  knows  she  malpractised  in 
those  meetings. 

Mr.  Blome:     Judge,  I   deny  that.      Mrs.    Denies  that 
Stetson      merely      defended      herself  ^^^- ^^*^^j!^°° 
against  evil  working  through  individual 
humans. 

Judge  Smith:      Ask   Mr.   Davis   and  find  out   that 
Mrs.     Stetson    admitted    she    was    wrong    in 
this. 
Mr.  Blome:     Still  I  would  not  be  convinced  that  she 

malpractised,  but  merely  defended  herself. 
Judge  Smith:     Do  you  call  that  Christian  Science? 
Mr.  Blome:     Absolutely,  because  the  Church  Manual 
says  so  in  two  places. 


220      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Judge  Smith:  The  Church  Manual  says  to  be  a  law 
unto  yourself  and  not  unto  others. 

Mr.  Blome:  Am  I  not  a  law  unto  myself  when  I 
defend  myself?  Statements  which  Mr.  McLel- 
lan  made  through  the  Sentinel,  was  it  not  an 
attack  upon  us  individually? 

Judge  Smith:    That  did  not  call  for  mental  attack. 

Mr.  Blome:  I  did  not  attack  him  mentally  and  Mrs. 
Stetson  did  not.     We  simply  took  up  the  error. 

Judge  Smith  :     She  took  him  up  by  name. 

Mr.  Blome:  If  I  fill  my  thought  with  Truth  and  Love 
and  see  the  individual  as  God's  idea,  can  I  hurt 
the  individual  human  that  makes  itself  a  channel 
for  evil?  Is  that  not  my  duty  to  do,  to  clear 
my  own  thought  of  the  suggestion  that  the 
individual  is  not  God's  idea? 

Judge  Smith:  Not  by  a  long  shot.  You  are  going 
on  here  arguing. 

Mr.  Blome:     You  came  to  admonish  me 

"I  must  stand  ^nd  I  must  stand  for  what  I  know 

for  what  I 

know  of  of  Truth. 

^'"*'*"  Judge  Smith:  You  are  trying  to  admonish 
me. 

Mr.  Blome:  I  am  not  trying  to  admonish  you,  but  to 
learn  from  you.  I  have  no  other  desire  in  my 
heart  but  to  learn  where  I  am  wrong.  You  have 
to  think  of  me  when  you  write  and  address  me. 

Judge  Smith  :  That  is  a  different  thing.  I  have  never 
said,  "Go  six  feet  under  the  ground." 

Mr.  Blome:  Mrs.  Stetson  never  said  that  to  an  in- 
dividual.    She  has  said,   "  Adam  goes  there. " 

Judge  Smith:  The  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church 
and  Mrs.  Eddy  have  warned  you  against  this 
false  teaching.     Mrs.  Eddy  has  squarely  said  to 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  221 

you,  Arnold  Blome,  to  come  out  from  the  mes- 
merism and  personal  domination. 

Mr.  Blome:     When  did  Mrs.  Eddy  say  that? 

Judge  Smith:  When  she  asked  you  to  support  the 
Directors  of  The  Mother  Church. 

Mr.  Blome:     I  do  not  understand  it  that  way. 

"Admonition"  of  Mrs.  Letitia  H.  Greene 

On  March  8,  1910,  at  her  residence  in  New  York  City, 
Judge  Smith  met  by  previous  engagement  Mrs.  Letitia 
H.  Greene  for  "admonition;"  Mrs.  Greene  relates  in 
substance  as  follows: 

Judge  Smith  spoke  about  the  practitioners'  meetings 
and  what  went  on  there  as  not  being  scientific ;  that  she 
thereupon  denied  promptly  the  truth  of  that  ^^^  Greene 
statement ;  that  Judge  Smith  spoke  about  her  denies  false 
working  against  the  Cause  of  Christian  *  ^gaions 
Science,  and  that  she  straightway  denied  that  she  had 
been  so  doing.  Judge  Smith  then  asked  her  whether  she 
wanted  him  to  go  on,  thus  manifesting  an  unwillingness 
to  give  any  one  "admonished"  the  right  to  protest 
against  the  falsity  of  what  amounted  to  a  charge  and 
a  reflection  on  her  Christian  character.  She  replied: 
"  Yes,  but  I  want  my  position  understood  as  well  as 
yours,  and  I  want  to  hear  the  truth. " 

In  this  particular   "admonition"  of  Mrs.    ,  ^  , 

■■^  Interference 

Greene,    the    following    colloquy    occurred       with  locai 
between  her  and  the  First  Reader  of  The 
Mother  Church: 

He  asked  me  if  I  had  changed  my  mind  in  regard  to  the 
way  I  had  voted  at  the  last  church  meeting  (our  Annual 
Meeting).     I  said  I  had  not,  and  that  as  I  was  here  on  the 


222      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

spot,  I  was  a  much  better  judge  of  the  situation  than  he 
was. 

This  quotation  shows  very  clearly  how  the  First 
Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  had  come  to  interfere 
with  local  church  affairs.  Because  Mrs.  Greene  had 
voted  as  she  thought  she  should  have  voted  at  a  meet- 
ing of  a  branch  church,  therefore  she  was  called  into 
judgment  by  the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church. 
Mrs.  Greene  further  stated  that  Judge  Smith  expressed 
regret  at  her  not  having  changed  her  views, 

Misrepresen-  .  ,  ,       , 

tation  caused  saymg  that  he  knew  she  wanted  to  do  right, 
SinTinr'  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  replied  that  she  knew  he  did  too, 
but  that  things  had  been  misrepresented  to 
him  and  had  caused  misunderstanding.  Mrs.  Greene 
concluded: 

As  he  left,  I  said  I  wanted  him  to  thoroughly  understand 
that  I  had  denied  all  these  charges.     He  said  he  did. 

His  second  admonition  occurred  on  March  1 1 ,  three  days 
later;  then  he  came,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Jackson.  .  .  . 
Neither  sat  down.     In  all  it  took  about  three  minutes. 

"Admonition"  of  Miss  Mary  R.  Pinney 

Miss  Mary  R.  Pinney  was  one  of  those  whose  two 
"  admonitions "  were  crowded  into  the  short  space 
of  ten  minutes.  Miss  Pinney  relates  that  when  Judge 
Smith  called  on  Friday,  March  ii,  he  was  accompanied 
by  a  Mr.  Jackson,  and  that  Judge  Smith  first  said  in 
part  that  "I  am  instructed  by  the  Christian  Science 
Board  of  Directors  to  admonish  you  in  compliance 
with  the  Manual,  Article  XII.,  Section  2,  and  Matthew 
xviii.,  15-17."  Miss  Pinney  says  that  Judge  Smith 
said  the  Directors  had  found  the  practices  in  the  prac- 
titioners' meetings  in  First  Church,  New  York  City, 
not  in  accord  with  Christian  Science. 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  223 

She  also  says,  "After  my  denial  of  the  charges,  Judge 
Smith  said:  'I  will  now  give  you  a  second  admonition 
in  the  presence  of  a  witness.'     Mr.  Jackson 
was  then  presented  to  me,  after  which  Judge       "admon- 
Smith  said: ' I  have  admonished  Miss  Pinney, .  'shed"  twice 

^  "^     la  ten  minutes 

and  she  has  denied  the  charges.  I  admonish 
her  again  in  your  presence.'  "  These  two  "admoni- 
tions" were  administered  within  ten  minutes'  time, 
and  Judge  Smith  was  frank  enough  to  say  that  they 
were  a  "formal  observance"  of  Matthew  xviii.,  15-17; 
but,  as  Miss  Pinney  observes,  "It  could  not  be  re- 
garded as  a  Christianly  scientific  admonition." 

The  interview  was  further  marked  by  Miss  Pinney's 
insisting  upon  her  individual  right  of  interpreting  Mrs. 
Eddy's  words  and  teachings  according  to  the  dictates 
of  her  own  conscience  and  to  think  and  act  accordingly. 
On  that  ground  she  disputed  the   right   of  „,  ^     . 

^  .  ^  °  Right  to  inter- 

The  Mother  Church  Directors,  through  the  pret  Leader-g 
First  Reader,  to  impose  upon  her  an  inter-  writings 
pretation  of  their  own.  When  the  authority  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  was  thus  challenged.  Miss  Pinney 
says,  "Judge  Smith  made  a  statement  to  the  effect 
that  Mrs.  Eddy  had  never  expressed  so  much  active 
interest  in  any  issue  since  the  Woodbury  trial.  I  quoted 
the  Manual,  Article  XXIL,  Section  7,  that  Mrs.  Eddy 
is  not  to  be  consulted  in  cases  of  discipline.  Judge 
Smith  replied,  'Mrs.  Eddy  has  made  an  exception  in 
this  case.'  "  Miss  Pinney  cites  the  Leader's  state- 
ment in  the  Sentinel  of  October  16,  1909,  four  months 
prior  to  the  date  of  this  "admonition,"  in  which  Mrs. 
Eddy  declared  over  her  own  name : 

...  I  hereby  publicly  declare  that  I  am  not  personally  in- 
volved in  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  any  other  way  than 


224     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

through  my  written  and  published  rules,  all  of  which  can 
be  read  by  the  individual  who  desires  to  inform  himself 
of  the  facts. 

"Admonition"  of  Mrs.  M.  Augusta  Airman 

Eight  minutes  on  two  different  days  (March  7,  and 
Mrs.Aikman's  ii)»  Were  all  the  time  given  to  Mrs.  Aikman's 
two  "  admoni-  ^wo  "  admonitions."     Her  statement  of  the 

tions"  In  eight 

minutes         occurrence  nins  as  follows: 

Monday,  March  7,  1910,  Judge  Smith  came  to  admonish 
me  "according  to  Matthew"  as  he  said,  and  was  sent  by 
the  Directors.  The  interview  lasted  just  five  minutes,  he 
himself  stating  that  "It  was  a  mere  matter  of  form;"  the 
Directors  having  found  me  unfit  to  bear  the  name  of  a 
Christian  Scientist;  and  that  if  I  did  not  change  my  views 
I  could  not  remain  a  member  of  The  Mother  Church. 

The  second  admonition  took  place  the  following  Friday, 
in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Jackson,  and  lasted  three  minutes. 
Dared  to  differ  ^  ^as  simply  askcd  if  I  had  changed  my  mind  in 
with  ecciesias-  any  particular,  and  regret  was  expressed  that  I 
aut  onty  ^^^^^^  ^q  differ  with  the  ecclesiastical  authority 
of  The  Mother  Church. 

"Admonition"  of  Miss  Sibyl  M.  Huse 

On  March  11,  1 910,  according  to  previous  arrange- 
ment, as  advised  by  Judge  Smith,  Miss  Huse  states  that 
Miss  Huse  ^^  Called  to  "  admonish  "  her,  alleging  her 
explains  her  refusal  to  answer  questions  in  the  September 
position  hearings  at  Boston  as  the  cause.  Miss  Huse 
explained  her  position  in  this  matter  as  that  "It  was 
neither  from  impulse  nor  premeditation,  but  rather  of 
a  conviction  that  under  the  circumstances  it  was  ut- 
terly useless  for  me  to  try  to  reply  to  the  questions  put 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners     225 

to   me."      As   the    interview    proceeded   Miss    Huse 
records  the  following  conversation: 

Miss  Huse:  Judge  Smith,  before  we  proceed  any  further, 
I  should  like  to  call  your  attention  to  letters  that 
I  have  received  from  you  and  Mr.  Dittomere.  This 
first  letter  is  your  recent  letter  to  me  of  March  4, 
in  which  you  say:  "I  am  instructed  by  the  Christian 
Science  Board  of  Directors  to  comply  with  Article 
XII., Section  2, of  The  Church  Manual,  by  admonish- 
ing you  as  therein  provided."  In  referring  to  the 
Article  you  quote,  which  occurs  on  page  55  of  the 
Manual,  I  find  this,  under  the  heading  of  "Teachers." 
Do  I  understand.  Judge  Smith,  that  you  are  ad- 
monishing me  as  a  teacher? 

Judge  Smith:  No,  Miss  Huse,  this  admonition  refers 
only  to  practising  and  not  to  teaching. 

Miss  Huse:  (Quoting  from  Manual)  "If  a  member  of 
this  Church  is  found  trying  to  practise  or  to  teach 
Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  state- 
ment thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and  tisfng'conl 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures  traryto 
.  .  .  ."  I  wish  to  make  this  statement,  ^'"^h^oi 
Judge  Smith,  that  I  am  not  either 
teaching  or  practising  contrary  to  the  statement 
of  Christian  Science  in  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures.  I  make  this  statement 
simply  in  order  to  make  the  statement.  Not 
that  I  think  it  will  influence  you  in  your  present 
action,  but  I  wish  simply  to  make  the  statement  that 
I  am  not  practising  contrary  to  Christian  Science  as 
laid  down  in  Science  and  Health. 

From  the  next  letter  that  I  have  in  hand  here  I 
quote:  "The  textbook  of  the  religion  you  profess 
declares  the  rule  that  '  It  is  Christian  Science  to  do 
right,  and  nothing  short  of  right-doing  has  any  claim 
to  the  name.  To  talk  the  right  and  live  the  wrong 
15 


226     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

is  foolish  deceit,  doing  one's  self  the  most  harm' 

{Science  and  Health,  p.  448).     Your  conduct  before 

the  Directors  did  not  conform  to  the  standard  in 

Christian  Science,  and  they  have  admonished  you 

not  to  be  found  again  having  the  name  without  the 

Hfe  of  a  Christian  Scientist  (Church  Manual,  Article 

XI.,  Section  i)." 

Judge    Smith:    That    is    Mr.    Dittemore's    letter.    Miss 

Judge  Smith    Huse,    I    am   not    responsible   for    Mr.    Ditte- 

shifts  respon-  morc's  letter,    he   is   responsible    for    his    own 

"'""^  letter. 

Miss  Huse:    The  Church  Manual,  Article  XI.,  Section 
I,  I   find   to   be  this, — it   is   entitled    "Departure 
Has  not  de-    f^om  Tenets:"   "If  a  member  of  this  Church 
parted  from     shall  depart  from  the  Tenets.  ..."     I  wish  to 
say.  Judge  Smith,  that  when  I  signed  my  appli- 
cation to  join  The  Mother  Church,  I  endorsed  the 
Tenets  of  The  Mother  Church.     If  I  were  making 
my  application  to-day,  I  should  sign  those  same 
Tenets  in  all  sincerity  as  I  did  then.     I  therefore 
deny  the  charge  that  I  have  departed  from  the  Tenets 
of  the  Church. 

In  the  next  letter,  also  from  Mr.  Dittemore, 
there  is  a  reference  made  to  Article  XXVI.,  Section 
Is  not  a  law  3,  of  The  Mother  Church  Manual.  I  find  that 
unto  others  ^q  ^g  entitled:  "Defense  against  Malpractice." 
I  quote  in  part — "never  to  return  evil  for  evil,  but 
to  know  the  truth  that  makes  free,  and  thus  to  be  a 
law,  not  unto  others,  but  to  themselves."  I  wish 
to  state  here  that  I  understand  that  in  the  practice  of 
Christian  Science  it  is  impossible  to  destroy  evil  with 
evil,  and  that  the  only  possible  way  of  destroying 
evil  for  one's  self  is  to  do  it  with  good,  and  that  I 
cannot  be  in  any  sense  a  law  to  another,  and  that 
all  I  can  do  is  to  be  a  law  unto  myself,  therefore  I 
deny  that  Article  XXVI.,  Section  3,  can  refer  in  any 
way  to  me. 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  227 

Judge  Smith:  Miss  Huse,  that  gives  me  an  opportunity 
to  speak  of  that  Article  from  which  you  quote, 
"mental  malpractice."  Do  I  understand  that  you 
follow  the  teachings  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and  handle 
names  for  the  purpose  of  treating  people  without 
their  knowledge  or  consent? 

Miss  Huse  :  Judge  Smith,  I  wish  to  say  that  I  am  following 
as  understandingly  as  I  may  be  able,  the  teachings 
of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  and  I  wish  you  to 
distinctly  understand  that  I  separate  the  last  part 
of  your  question  which  refers  to  treatment  and 
handling  of  names.  It  is  useless  for  us  to  discuss 
that  question,  for  you  and  I  understand  this  subject 
very  differently.  My  afhrmative  answer  then  ap- 
plies only  to  the  first  part  of  your  question,  in 
which  you  ask  me  if  I  am  following  the  teachings  of 
Mrs.  Stetson. 

Judge  Smith:  But,  Miss  Huse,  as  to  the  handling  of 
names? 

Miss  Huse  :  Judge  Smith,  you  have  come  for  the  purpose 
of  admonishing  me. 

Judge  Smith:  Yes,  Miss  Huse,  and  I  do  so  now.  I  am 
commissioned  by  the  Board  of  Directors  to  admonish 
you  according  to  Matthew  xviii.,  which  I  now  do. 
May  I  now  call  in  Mr.  Jackson? 

Miss  Huse:  Certainly,  Judge  Smith.  Do  I  understand 
that  the  first  admonition  is  closed,  and  Two"admo- 
that  the  second  admonition  is  to  ensue?         nitions "  in 

_  -.  ^7-  the  same  visit 

Judge  Smith:     Yes. 

(Judge  Smith  then  summoned  Mr.  Jackson.) 

Judge  Smith:  Miss  Huse,  this  is  Mr.  Jackson.  Mr. 
Jackson  is  to  witness  that  I  admonish  you  the  second 
time  according  to  Matthew  xviii.  I  admonish  you 
in  accordance  with  Article  XH.,  Section  2;  and  also 
Article  XI.,  Section  12. 


228     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Miss  Huse:  Judge  Smith,  I  feel  that  these  Articles  should 
be  read  in  Mr.  Jackson's  presence,  and  that  Mr. 
Jackson  should  witness  their  having  been  read  to 
me.     Have  you  a  Manual? 

Judge  Smith  :    No. 

Miss  Huse:    Here  is  a  Manual. 

(Judge  Smith  then  read  the  Articles  from  the 
Manual.  I  listened  quietly,  then  turning  and  look- 
ing at  Mr.  Jackson,  I  said  to  him:) 

Miss  Huse:     Mr.  Jackson,  you  are  a  witness  that  Judge 
Smith  has  read  to  me  these  Articles  from  The 
delves  all*      Mother  Church  Manual.     You  are  also  a  wit- 
charges  in       ness  that  I  deny  individually  and  collectively 
wUnesr  °      ^^^  charges  as  contained  in  those  Articles,  sin- 
cerely, emphatically,  and  finally.     Good  after- 
noon, gentlemen. 

Still  another  aspect  of  the  attitude  of  the  First 
Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  toward  the  New  York 
Mr,  Rowboth-  practitioners  is  revealed  in  the  "admonition " 
am's  account  ^f  y^^^  Steuart  C.  Rowbotham  at  New  York 
City.  Mr.  Rowbotham  is  a  gentleman  of  liberal  edu- 
cation, and  had  then  been  a  practitioner  of  some  eleven 
or  more  years'  highest  standing  in  Christian  Science. 
He  could,  therefore,  be  expected  to  have  a  reasonable 
grasp  of  the  subject  of  which  he  had  long  been  recognized 
as  a  representative  exponent. 

Mr.  Rowbotham  says: 

In  further  explanation  of  my  understanding  of  Mrs. 
Eddy's  writings  as  a  "revelation,"  and  my  spiritual  con- 
Examiner's  ception  of  God,  Mr.  Smith  interrupted  me  with 
disrespectful  the  Sneering  remark,  "That  is  your  Pickwickian 
sense."  I  protested  that  I  was  endeavoring 
to  give  him  a  logical,  practical  statement.     Such  lack  on 


Admonitions  of  Sixteen  Practitioners  229 

his  part  of  spiritual  dignity  and  courtesy  to  a  fellow  member 
of  The  Mother  Church,  whom  he  was  supposed  to  assist, 
was  deplorable,  and  was  an  attempt  to  confuse  and  belittle 
my  evidence. 

The  merely  formal  character  of  these  "admonitions" 
is  at  times  self-evident.  With  the  apparent  purpose 
of  disposing  of  the  matter  quickly,  Judge  Smith  called 
on  each  practitioner  separately,  announcing  his  pur- 
pose and  the  authority  under  which  he  acted  in  giving 
the  first ' '  admonition. ' '  Then,  in  a  number  of  instances, 
having  disposed  of  the  first  "admonition"  in  a  few 
sentences,  he  called  in  a  witness  whom  he  had  brought 
for  that  purpose  and  repeated  the  "admonition." 

The  two  "admonitions"  in  some  cases  occupied  so 
short  a  space  of  time  as  necessarily  to  preclude  any 
opportunity  for  reflection  which  might  lead 
to  a  change  of  view  on  the  part  of  the  one  spirit  of  the 
"admonished."  In  this  proceeding,  we  be-  oYs^tl^^? 
lieve  the  First  Reader  disregarded  the  spirit 
of  Matthew  xviii.,  15-17,  in  which  he  professed  to  come 
on  his  "admonitory"  mission. 


CHAPTER  XX 

ADMONITIONS  BY  FIRST  READER  OF  NEW  YORK 
CHURCH 

Of  the  three  personal  "admonitions"  given  to  the 
group  of  practitioners  who  refused  to  repudiate  the 
metaphysical  instruction  received  from  Mrs. 
of'New^York   Stctson,  two  of  the  "admonitions"  were  ad- 
church  "ad-    ministered    by    the    First    Reader    of   The 

nionishcs" 

practiuoners  Mothcr  Church,  and  one  by  the  First  Reader 
of  the  New  York  church.  The  first  of  these 
occurred  on  the  8th  and  nth  of  March,  1910.  Of  the 
"  admonitions  "  which  the  First  Reader  of  the  New  York 
church  gave,  the  one  given  Miss  Mary  E.  Pearson  at 
Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey,  March  25,  1910,  as  related 
below,  by  her,  will  suffice  to  show  their  character: 

Mr.  Virgil  0.  Strickler  called  at  11: 30  a.m.  and  remained 
about  forty  minutes.  After  asking  if  I  had  moved  here, 
I  replied,  "No;  I  am  visiting  here." 

Then  he  began:  "Tell  me  what  do  you  think  of  this 
whole  situation?  You  know  it  is  a  great  problem.  Here 
Miss  Pear-     ^^  ^^®  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church, 

son's  "  admo the  highest  ecclesiastical  body  in  the  organi- 

*"''°°  zation,    responsible    for    the   organization,    and 

they  have  examined  the  teachings  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and 
judged  them  to  be  all  wrong.  Outside  of  twelve  or 
thirteen  and  possibly  a  handful,  the  whole  Field  of  Christian 
Scientists  all   over  the  world  consider  her  teachings  and 

230 


Admonitions  by  First  Reader         231 

practices  to  be  false.  I  want  to  find  out  just  what  you 
feel  about  it,  and  where  you  stand." 

I  said:  "Mr.  Strickler,  there  is  nothing  for  me  to  say. 
We  have  been  over  this  whole  ground  together  many  times, 
and  you  know  my  views.  It  is  useless  to  enter  into  any 
discussion  on  the  matter." 

He  replied:  "That  is  so;  but  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
First  Church  in  New  York  feel  that,  as  some  seven  months 
have  elapsed   since   the  Findings  of  the  Board  ^^    ., .     ,, 

^  ,  ,    ,      .     Should  loyalty 

of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  and  it  is  to  the  organi- 
a  serious  question  they  have  to  confront,  as  to  ^^**°°  ^® 
whether  they  should  allow  any  one  to  remain  a 
member  of  the  church  who  is  not  loyal  to  the  Board  of 
Directors  and  the  organization,  it  is  their  duty  to  find  out 
how  the  members  stand,  and  they  have  commissioned  me, 
as  First  Reader,  to  see  you  and  admonish  you." 

Then  he  produced  a  paper,  said  to  be  Mrs.  Remer's 
testimony,  and  said  he  had  Miss  Ensworth's  with  him, 
and  would  have  brought  others  but  did  not 
think  it  necessary.  He  said,  "I  want  to  know  Practitioners' 
if  you  consider  these  statements,  made  at  the  ..gro^Iy  ^s- 
practitioners'  meetings  and  testified  to  by  most  represented" 
of  the  practitioners,  are  Christian  Science?" 

I  do  not  recall  word  for  word  the  statements  as  quoted, 
so  will  not  quote  them.  I  said,  "Mr.  Strickler,  you  know 
as  well  as  I  do,  that  two  persons  can  hear  the  same  state- 
ment and  put  an  entirely  different  meaning  upon  it.  All 
that  I  ever  heard  said,  when  rightly  understood,  could 
never  be  construed  as  the  Board  of  Directors  and  you  have 
construed  them.  I  consider  that  what  has  been  reported 
as  said  in  those  meetings  has  been  grossly  misrepresented  and 
misconstrued.'' 

He  then  said,  "I  see  your  attitude.  I  am  mighty  sorry 
for  you !  Do  you  realize  what  this  means  to  you,  claims  of 
to  stand  out  against  the  whole  organization?  ecclesiastical 
There  is  no  appeal  beyond  the  Board  of  Direc-  ^"  °"  ^ 
tors.     They  correspond  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  are  you 


232      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

going  to  pit  your  opinion  against  theirs?  Mrs.  Eddy  has 
authorized  them  as  a  body,  and  they  must  act  in  accord- 
ance with  their  judgment,  and  we  must  accept  their  judg- 
ment in  order  to  be  Christian  Scientists." 

I  said,  "Mr.  Strickler,  if  I  had  not  worked  this  all  out 
alone  with  God  I  would  not  be  ready  to  meet  or  to  talk  with 
you  to-day.  I  am  ready,  if  needs  be,  to  stand 
to^G^  "^*'  for  my  convictions  absolutely  alone  with  God. 
I  am  loyal  to  God,  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  to  my  under- 
standing of  the  teaching  I  have  received  through  Mrs.  Stet- 
son, and  I  have  my  Bible  and  Science  and  Health,  with  the 
Manual  and  all  Mrs.  Eddy's  writings,  and  neither  you, 
the  Board  of  Directors,  nor  any  one,  has  any  right  to 
attempt  to  coerce  me  into  changing  my  convictions  of 
Truth  into  their  way  of  believing. 

Then  he  said,  "No!  You  have  a  right  to  your  convic- 
tions, as  we  all  have;  and  no  one  wants  to  coerce  you  into 
any  other  way  of  thinking;  but  listen  to  this."  Then, 
reading  another  statement  from  Mrs.  Remer's  testimony, 
"Did  you  hear  Mrs.  Stetson  say  that  when  Mrs.  Eddy 
made  her  demonstration  she  would  have  some  one  to  talk 
through,  and  Mrs.  S.  was  that  one?" 

I  said,  "I  never  heard  that  statement  and  do  not  believe 
Mrs.  Stetson  ever  said  it."  Mr.  Strickler  said, 
thlse*stat*e-*  "  ^^^  ^^^'  ^^^  incidentally  I  tell  you  it  is  spiri- 
ments  to  do  tualism."  He  then  wanted  to  read  more  state- 
mo^Z.*?**"  inents,  but  I  said,  "Mr.  Strickler,  what  have 
these  statements  to  do  with  my  admonition?  I 
am  responsible  only  for  what  I  say  and  do." 

He  replied:  "That  is  so.  I  only  want  to  hear  what  you 
think  of  these  statements."  I  said,  "Mr.  Strickler,  to 
pass  just  judgment  on  what  another  has  said  or  done,  I 
would  have  to  be  present  when  the  statement  was  made, 
and  know  what  led  up  to  the  statement,  and  the  person's 
motive  for  making  it."  Then  he  put  the  papers  back  in 
his  pocket  and  left  them  there. 

Mr.  Strickler  then  remarked:  "What  do  you  think  of 


Admonitions  by  First  Reader        233 

the  telegram  Mrs.  Eddy  sent  in  reply  to  one  from  us 
and  which  referred  to  the  conditions,  'I  rejoice  with 
you  in  the  victory  of  right  over  wrong,  of  Truth  over 
error'?" 

I  replied,  "Mr.  Strickler,  I  can  truthfully  and  honestly 
say  to  you  or  any  one,  '  I  rejoice  with  you  in  the  victory  of 
right  over  wrong,  of  Truth  over  error'    [Mary 
Baker  Eddy,  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  January    "Mrs.  Eddy 

I1&.S  never 

29,  1910].  Mrs.  Eddy  has  never  said  that  Mrs.  said  that 
Stetson's  teaching  is  wrong.     On  the  contrary,  Mrs.  stetson's 

.  ,         teaching  is 

she    has    called    this    controversy    a     personal  wrong" 

conflict'  [Christian  Science  Sentinel,  December 
18,  1909],  and  said  she  has  written  all  she  has  to  say  in 
her  writings,  or  something  to  that  effect,  and  that  each  in- 
dividual must  interpret  these  writings  for  himself.  Ami 
to  disobey  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  take  the  Board  of  Directors* 
interpretation?  " 

He  said:  "But  they  are  the  highest  authority,        ^ gg^ous 
and  their  judgment  is  final.     It  is  a  serious    matter  if  the 

,,  Directors  are 

matter.  mistaken 

I  replied,  "  It  is  a  very  serious  matter.     If  the 
Board  of  Directors  find  they  have  been  mistaken  in  their 
judgment,  what  will  become  of  the  organization?" 

He  said:  "They  cannot  revoke  what  they  have  done 
now,  under  the  Manual;  it  would  be  years  before  they 
could  reinstate  Mrs.  Stetson."  Then  he  said, 
"If  you  had  more  time,  would  you  reconsider  are  mistake" 
it,  and  change  your  attitude?"  I  said,  "  Never,  what  will  be- 
Mr.  Strickler,  never!  I  am  working  out  my  Jga'^^jJi*^? 
problem  according  to  my  understanding  of 
Principle,  and  cannot  do  otherwise."  Then  he  said,  "What 
do  you  intend  to  do?  Do  you  think  with  these  views  you 
ought  to  remain  a  member  of  the  organization?  You 
cannot  ride  two  horses." 

I  said,  "  Mr.  Strickler,  I  am  not  riding  two  horses.  Mrs. 
Eddy  says :  '  Follow  your  Leader,  only  so  far  as  she  follows 
Christ'    [Message  for    1902,   p.    78],    and   I    am    willing 


234     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

to  follow  the  Board  of  Directors  in  so  far  as  they 
follow  Christ.     As  to  the  organization,  that  is  a  question 

for  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  decide.  The 
foiiow^the  organization  can  get  along  without  me.  Jesus 
Directors  as  and  his  followcrs  needed  no  organization,  and 
follow  Chrkt    ^   must   stand    by    what   I    understand    to    be 

the  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Bible  and 
Science  and  Healthy 

To  sum  up  the  facts  as  to  these  "admonitions:" 

Conclusions      .  ^-     "^^^^  ^^^^  ^°>  ^^  ^^  judgment,  de- 
as  to  these     Hvcred   in    the   spirit   of   the    Scripture,    as 
tions"''""'       specifically  provided  in  the  Manual  of  The 
Mother  Church. 

2.  They  were  coercive  in  their  method,  because 
they  were  administered  with  appeals  to  fear  of  authority 
rather  than  to  loyalty  to  Truth  as  the  standard  of 
conviction. 

3.  They,  in  our  judgment,  either  expressly  or  im- 
pliedly involved  unwarranted  charges  without  speci- 
fication, against  which  the  ones  "admonished"  had  no 
adequate  opportunity  of  denial  or  defense,  and  to  that 
extent  they  were  unjust  to  the  practitioners. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

PRACTITIONERS  BEFORE  THE  NEW  TRUSTEES 

Only  fifteen  of  the  sixteen  practitioners  of  the  New 
York  church  appeared  before  the  newly  elected  Board 
of  Trustees  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scien-   „    ,.,. 

'  Practitioners 

tist,  New  York  City,  in  response  to  their  caiied  for 
call  late  in  March  or  early  in  April,  1910.  iscipme 
Mr.  Hatfield  declined  to  respond  to  their  call,  and 
resigned  from  the  New  York  church  for  reasons  which 
are  given  in  the  following  letter  which  was  published 
in  part  in  the  New  York  Herald  of  April  4,  19 10: 

New  York  City, 

April  3,  1910. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  New  York  Herald: — 

In  this  morning's  papers  in  the  articles  regarding  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  allusion  is 
made  to  the  fact  of  my  being  asked  to  come  before  the 
Trustees  of  that  church  in  answer  to  their  summons,  and 
that,  instead  of  doing  so,  I  sent  to  them  a  letter  of  resigna- 
tion from  the  church. 

Allow  me  to  explain  the  reason  for  my  resignation.  I 
had  been  for  about  five  years  Second  Reader  of  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  -^^^  -^^^  ^^t. 
and  subsequently  for  three  years  its  First  Reader,  field  declined 
I  had  been  an  active  worker  in  the  church  for  °  respon 
twenty- two  years  and  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
for  almost  nineteen  years.     I  therefore  stood  in  a  measure 

235 


236      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

as  the  representative  of  these  important  oflfices  and  it 
seemed  to  me  proper  to  protect  them  from  any  record  of 
injustice  and  indignity  in  view  of  my  high  appreciation 
of  their  sacred  character. 

I  took  this  action  the  more  readily  because  of  my  appre- 
hension of  the  utter  incompetency  of  those  who  called  me 
before  them  to  intelligently,  justly,  and  in  a  Christly  manner 
pass  upon  the  questions  involved,  because  of  their  lack  of 
understanding  of  divine  metaphysics,  which  is  true  Christian 
Science. 

As  an  individual,  I  was  perfectly  willing  to  appear  before 
the  Trustees  and  defend  my  own  position,  and  did  not 
Is  loyal  to  shirk  my  duty  in  any  respect.  It  cannot  be 
Leader  and  charged  that  I  had  not  the  courage  of  my  convic- 
tions, for  my  position  of  loyalty  to  my  beloved 
Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and  to  my  teaclier,  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  has  been  so  constantly  and  publicly 
declared  as  to  be  beyond  question. 
Yours  truly, 

(Signed)      E.  F.  Hatfield. 

What  was  publicly  characterized  in  the  press  of  that 
date  as  "The  inquisition  of  the  fifteen  practitioners," 
was  among  the  earliest  acts  of  the  newly  elected  Board 
of  Trustees.  These  practitioners  were  called  individu- 
ally into  the  Board  Room  of  the  New  York  church 
in  the  presence  of  the  Trustees,  where  Charles  A.  Dean, 
the  Chairman,  read  to  them  the  following  statement : 

You  have  heretofore  been  admonished  by  the  First 
Reader  of  this  church,  and  because  of  your  attitude  respect- 
ing that  admonition,  you  have  been  requested  to  meet  the 
Trustees  at  this  time. 

The  First  Reader  has  reported  to  the  Board  that  you 
stated  to  him  in  response  to  his  questions,  that  you  fully 
approved   and   endorsed    the    teachings   and   practice    of 


Practitioners  before  New  Trustees     237 

Mrs.    Augusta    E.    Stetson    as    being    correct    Christian 
Science,    and  especially  that   you  approved  her  teaching 
and  practice  in  the  twelve  o'clock  practitioners' 
meetings   held    in   this   room   on   and  prior  to  Adherence  to 

INTrs   Stetson's 

July  31,   1909,    and    that    you    declared    that       teaching  a 
your  views  with  respect  to  such  teaching  and     disquaiifica- 

.  .  .  ,  ^     ,  ,         .  tion  to  mem- 

practice  were  m  no  wise  altered   by   the  fact  bership 

that  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors, 
of  Boston,  had  revoked  the  license  of  Mrs.  Stetson  as  a 
teacher  because  she  was  teaching  and  practising  "pretended 
Christian  Science."  Also  that  you  stated  that  you,  your- 
self are  practising  in  the  manner  taught  and  practised 
by  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  that  it  is  your  intention  to  continue 
to  do  so,  notwithstanding  that  such  teaching  and  practice 
have  been  adjudged  by  such  Directors  as  being  contrary 
to  Christian  Science. 

The  nature  of  the  interviews  with  the  New  York 
Trustees  is  distinctly  shown  in  detail  in  Miss  Duncan's 
account  as  given  below: 

Miss  Duncan's  Interview 

As  I  went  into  the  Board  Room  the  Trustees  bowed,  and 
Mr.  Strickler  motioned  me  to  a  seat  at  the  head  of  the 
table.    Then  Mr.  Dean  said  that  he  would  read 
the  by-law  of   First  Church  in  regard  to  the  ^^^''L^"": 

J  o  can  s  answers 

situation.  The  by-law  was  to  the  effect  that  a  per- 
son brought  up  for  an  offense  should  be  admonished  by  the 
First  Reader,  then  if  that  admonition  were  not  heeded,  he 
should  come  before  the  Board  of  Trustees.  Mr.  Dean 
said  that  as  I  had  not  heeded  Mr.  Strickler's  admonition, 
it  was  necessary  to  call  me  before  the  Board.  He  then 
asked  the  following  questions : 

I.  "Were  you  one  of  the  students  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 
Stetson  who  met  in  the  daily  twelve  o'clock  practitioners* 
meetings,  held  in  this  room  on  and  prior  to  July  31,  1909?" 


238      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

I  answered,  "I  was." 

2.  "  Do  you  still  believe  and  maintain  that  the  teachings 
and  practice  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  were  correct  and 
in  accord  with  the  textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key 
to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy?" 

I  answered,  "I  do." 

3.  "Do  you  approve  as  being  in  accord  with  true 
Christian  Science  the  teachings  and  practice  of  Mrs.  Stet- 
son in  the  twelve  o'clock  practitioners'  meetings?" 

I  answered,  "Absolutely." 

4.  "Do  you  beHeve  that  the  findings  and  judgment  of 
the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors,  'That  Mrs. 
Stetson  practises  and  teaches  pretended  Christian  Science 
contrary  to  the  statement  thereof  in  Science  and  Health 
with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,'  and  'revoking  her  license  as  a 
teacher  of  Christian  Science,'  were  necessary,  just,  and 
right?" 

That  question  I  refused  to  answer  directly.  I  said,  "I 
think  the  answers  to  the  previous  questions  covered  the 
ground." 

Mr.  Dean  said:  "Will  you  answer  the  question?"  I 
repeated,  "I  feel  that  the  question  has  been  answered." 
Then  Mr.  Dean  went  on  to  ask  the  next  question. 

5.  "  Do  you  practise  Christian  Science  according  to  the 
way  Mrs.  Stetson  has  taught  in  the  twelve  o'clock  practi- 
tioners' meetings?" 

1  said,  "I  do  not  consider  that  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  in 
those  meetings, — they  were  talks."  Mr.  Dean  said,  "  Well, 
according  to  the  way  she  talked?"     I  said,  "I  do." 

6.  "  Is  it  your  intention  to  continue  to  practise  accord- 
ing to  the  way  she  taught?" 

I  replied,  "It  is." 

Mr.  Strickler  said:  "Now,  Miss  Duncan,  is  there  any 
possibility  of  your  changing  your  mind,  or  of  thinking  any 
differently  from  what  you  have?" 

I  said,  "I  don't  see  how  it  is  possible,  Mr.  Strickler, 
because  I  have  been  taking  the  stand  I  have  for  my  con- 


Practitioners  before  New  Trustees     239 

victions,  and  that  is  the  reason  I  am  standing  where  I  am 
to-day — because  of  my  convictions." 

Mr.  Blome's  Interview 

In  appearing  before  the  new  Board  of  Trustees,  Mr. 
Blome  took  the  precaution  to  prepare  himself  with  a 
written  statement,  so  that  there  might  be 

Mr.  Blome 

no  doubt  as  to  what  his  words  actually  were,  protects  him- 
He  did  this  in  self-protection   (i)   because    seifbywru- 

^  ^    ''  ten  statement 

The  Mother  Church  Directors  had  refused 
to  allow  him  to  see  a  copy  of  his  testimony  given  in 
Boston,  and  (2)  because  it  had  been  reported  that  in  his 
Boston  testimony  he  had  been  disrespectful  to  the 
Directors — an  allegation  which  he  promptly  denied. 
For  these  reasons  Mr.  Blome  was  reluctant  to  answer 
questions,  but  finally  consented,  after  which  he  relates 
that  the  following  interview  ensued: 

The  first  question  was  repeated — whether  or  not  I  was  a 
student  in  those  meetings.  I  said,  "Yes."  Then  they  asked, 
Would  I  continue  to  practice  that  teaching?  I  said,  "I 
most  certainly  shall."  "And  disregard  the  Findings  of 
the  Directors?"  I  said,  "I  will  have  to."  Then  they 
asked  me  whether  I  thought  that  the  Directors'  judg- 
ment was  not  right.  I  told  them  that  I  most  certainly 
thought  it  was  not  right — that  it  was  unjust  and  unfair. 
Then  Mr.  Dean  asked  me  to  read  my  statement.  It  is  as 
follows : 

'' Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  Brethren: — 

"In  answer  to  your  call  for  further  admonition,  I  have 
prepared  a  statement,  after  careful  consideration  and  study 
of  our  dear  Leader's,  Mrs.  Eddy's,  writings,  which  I  will 
ask  you  to  kindly  accept.  I  find  my  teaching,  as  I  have 
received  it  from  Mrs.  Stetson,  the  correct  interpretation 
of  Science  and  Health,  our  textbook.      I   find  nothing  in 


240     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

our  Church  Manual  which  has  been  disobeyed  as  the  result 
of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching.  I  am  striving  to  live  the  truth 
which  she  has  taught  me  as  far  as  I  can,  and  demonstrate 
it  in  putting  off  '  the  old  man  with  his  deeds'  and  putting 
on  the  'new  man.'  I  hope  always  to  demonstrate  this 
teaching  and  follow  the  example  of  Mrs.  Stetson, 
teaching  de^  ^  Her  teaching  demonstrated  has  proved  itself 
monstrated by  ^y  j^^g  fruits,  and  Jcsus  Said,  'By  their  fruits  ye 
'^  ""  ^  shall  know  them. '  I  beHeve  in  so  doing  I  follow 
my  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  as  she  follows  Christ.  I 
do  not  follow  finite  personality,  nor  am  I  under  any  'per- 
sonal domination,'  but  stand  by  my  Principle,  because 
Principle  has  a  firm  grip  on  me,  and  'I  can  do  no 
otherwise. ' 

"  I  have  for  fourteen  years  stood  in  my  place  as  a  member 
of  the  organization  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City ;  have  tried  to  do  all  I  could  in  healing  the 
sick  and  reforming  the  sinner  through  Christ,  Truth,  and 
although  it  has  been  but  a  humble  benefit  to  mankind,  it 
has  blessed  me  and  mine  in  unselfish  deeds  and  loyalty  to 
our  Cause  and  its  beloved  Leader. 

"I  have  no  resentment,  and  shall  be  of  more  usefulness 
to  the  Cause  of  Christian  Science  as  I  study  Science  and 
Health  and  the  Bible  more,  and  love  my  neighbor  better. 
In  this  way  I  will  get  a  better  reaHzation  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  as  a  'structure  of  Truth  and  Love'  {Science  and 
Health,  p.  583),  and  obey  my  revered  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy, 
to  build  'wholly  spiritual'  {Christian  Science  Sentinel, 
January  16,  1909).  I  shall  always  love  First  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  as  I  have  lived  for  it, 
and  this  church  will  always  stand  as  a  milestone  'from 
sense  to  Soul'  {Science  and  Health,  p.  266)  of  self-sacrifice 
and  unselfish  love  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and  her  loyal  students 
in  obedience  to  our  Leader. 

"I  know  of  no  better  way  to  express  my  gratitude  to 
Mrs.  Stetson  for  her  untiring  labors  for  me  and  humanity 
than  to  be  loyal  to  Principle  and  our  dear  Leader,  Mrs. 


Practitioners  before  New  Trustees     241 

Eddy,  and  to  rise  to  see  the  spiritual  import  of  this  momen- 
tous hour. 

"With  my  heart  full  of  love  and  gratitude,  I  trust  God, 
'the  strong  deHverer'  {Science  and  Health,  p.  226),  to  guide 
us  all  in  His  own  way  and  in  His  own  time." 

(Signed)      Arnold  Blome. 

Following  the  reading  of  this  statement,  Mr.  Strickler 
said,  "Under  those  conditions  you  defy  constituted  author- 
ity and  disobey  the  By-Laws  of  the  Church 
Manual  and  of  our  branch  church."  To  this  I  "^^^e'cou"! 
replied,  "I  would  like  to  read  these  few  words  and  that  is 
in  which  I  have  lived  the  last  few  days:  'There  *  ^Heaven" 
is  but  one  Law  and  that  is  the  Law  of  God, 
There  is  but  one  Court  and  that  is  the  Court  of  Heaven. 
It  is  a  court  of  Absolute  Justice,  whose  decision  is  final. 
Human  concepts  and  opinions  have  been  formulated  into 
laws,  and  human  courts  administer  these  laws;  but  God  is 
the  final  arbiter,  the  Supreme  Judge'  "  {Christian  Science 
Sentinel,  vol.  II.,  p.  87). 

Mr.  Dean,  Chairman  of  the  new  Board  of  Trustees,  at 
the  meeting  said,  "Well,  Mr.  Blome,  as  long  as  you  say 
that  the  Directors'  decision  is  not  just,  you  are  judging  the 
Directors."  I  said,  "  I  believe  the  Directors'  decision  un- 
fair and  unjust."  Then  he  said,  "You  cannot  be  a 
Christian  Scientist,  you  cannot  be  a  Christian  Science 
practitioner."  I  did  not  answer  that.  They  said,  "  That 
is  all."     I  said,  "  Good-night." 

Mr.  Dean  presumed  to  tell  these  practitioners  that 
they  could  no  longer  be  Christian  Science  practitioners, 
and  because  they  were  found  to  be  "judging  the  Direc- 
tors" by  questioning  their  decision  as  to  Mrs.  Stetson 
and  themselves,  therefore  they  could  not  be  Christian 
Scientists.  But  the  practitioners  knew  nothing  of 
this  new  teaching, — that  the  decisions  of  the  Directors 
16 


242      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

of  The  Mother  Church  had  taken  the  place  of  the 
Tenets  and  By-Laws  of  the  denomination.  These 
practitioners  were  taught,  and  rightly  taught, 
decisions  that  a  Christian  Scientist  is  one  who  follows 
supersede       ^j^g    tcachings    of    the    Holy    Bible    and    of 

Tenets  and  .  . 

By-Laws?       Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures, 
by   Mary   Baker  Eddy,    and   who  lives    in 
obedience  to  the  Tenets  and  By-Laws  as  set  forth  in 
the  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church. 

Miss  Pearson's  Interview 

The  same  standard  of  judgment  was  reasserted 
when  Miss  Mary  E.  Pearson  appeared  before  the  new 
Board  of  New  York  Trustees.  Miss  Pearson  states 
that  the  following  occurred: 

Mr.  Dean  :    Then  you  mean  to  set  yourself  up  as  a  judge 

over  the  Board  of  Directors? 
Miss  Pearson:     No,  only  I  am  judging  from  what  I  have 

seen  and  heard  myself.     They  are  responsible  to 

God  for  their  judgment,  and  I  for  mine. 
Mr.  Franciscus:     But  you  have  not  seen  all  the  evidence 

they  have. 
Mrs.  Bain  :    And  Mrs.  Stetson  herself  was  before  the  Board 

of  Directors. 

(Another  one,  I  think  it  was  Mr.  Dean,  said:  "Do  you 
think  the  Board  of  Directors'  judgment  right  or  wrong?") 

Miss  Pearson:  That  is  not  for  me  to  say;  that  rests 
between  them  and  their  God,  I  can  only  judge  for 
myself  what  I  think  and  say  and  do. 

Miss  Pearson  continues:  "Then  Mr.  Dean  read  an- 
other form  of  'admonition,'  stating  they  could  not 
allow  any  one  to  be  a  member  of  the  church  who  was 


Practitioners  before  New  Trustees     243 

disloyal  or  divided  in  his  allegiance,  and  I  could  not  be 
allowed  to  practise  Christian  Science  any  longer.  If 
after  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  I  proved  worthy  to  be 
again  admitted  into  the  church  the  Board  would  do  so." 

Miss  Pearson:  I  protest,  I  am  loyal  to  Mrs.  Eddy  and 
The  Mother  Church  and  am  not  divided  in  my 
allegiance.     Mrs.  Eddy  has  said,  "Follow  ^isa 

your    Leader,  only    so    far   as   she   fol-  Pearson 

lows  Christ"   [Message  for  IQ02,  p.  78],         gianceto 
and  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  follow  the  christiy 

Board  of  Directors  and  this  Board  just  so 
far  as  they  follow  Principle,  the   Mind  which  was 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

Mr.  Franciscus:  Do  you  still  set  yourself  up  as  a  judge 
over  the  Board  of  Directors? 

Miss  Pearson:  God  is  their  and  our  Judge,  and  Mrs. 
Eddy  has  written  "  God  is  above  your  teacher,  your 
healer,  or  any  earthly  friend"  [Christian  Science 
Sentinel,  December  i8,  1909],  and  that  each  one 
must  interpret  her  writings  for  herself. 

Miss  Pearson  then  turned  to  Mr.  Dean  and  said,  "I 
want  to  say  right  here,  that  neither  this  Board  nor  any 
mortal  on  the  face  of  the  earth  has  any  right 

.No  human 

or  power  to  hinder  me  from  obeymg  God  and  power  can 
healing  the  sick  according  to  my  own  under-  „be°yinVGod 
standing  of  Christian  Science." 

Mr.  Franciscus:  If  you  had  more  time  given  you  would 
you  change  your  views? 

Miss  Pearson:  Never!  How  can  I  change  my  convic- 
tions? Science  and  Health  says,  "God  has  endowed 
man  with  inalienable  rights,  among  which  are  self- 
government,  reason,  and  conscience."  I  cannot  go 
against  my  conscience. 


244      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

In  practically  every  interview  of  the  practitioners 
before  the  new  Board  of  New  York  Trustees,  the  meta- 
physical understanding  of  the  accused  practitioners  of 
Christian  Science  was  not  enquired  into.  The  burden 
of  the  questioning  seemed  to  be  as  to  conformity  to 
the  interpretation  and  decisions  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors. They  were  further  told  by  the  Chairman,  Mr. 
Dean,  that  they  could  not  be  permitted  to  practise 
Christian  Science  or  even  be  a  Christian  Scientist.  In 
one  of  the  latest  of  these  interviews  Mrs.  Rowbotham 
states  that  when  so  addressed  by  the  Chairman,  she 
replied : 

Mr.  Dean,  I  am  a  loyal  Christian  Scientist,  and  no  one 
has  any  right  to  say  I  am  not.  Because  the  Directors  are 
the  Directors  does  not  make  them  infallible, 
herns^not***  ^^^  ^^^^  cannot  dictate  to  me  as  to  how  I  shall 
the  gift  of  interpret  Mrs.  Eddy's  works.  No  one  has  the 
Trustl^e"  "'  ^ght  to  say  that  I  cannot  be  a  Christian  Scien- 
tist and  cannot  practise.  I  have  practised  for 
twelve  years,  and  shall  continue  to  do  so. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  SIXTEEN  PRACTITIONERS  MAKE  A  PUBLIC 

STATEMENT 

On  April  2,  1 9 10,  the  same  date  on  which  the  "Three 
Test  Questions"'  were  applied  to  the  last  of  the  practi- 
tioners, the  new  Board  of  New  York  Trustees 

"    •  PfflctitioiiGrs' 

sent  out  letters  notifying  these  practitionerSnanies  dropped 
that  their  names  had  been  dropped  from  the    'ro™  church 

membership 

roll    of    church    membership.     There    were 

only  fifteen  so  dropped,  Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield  having 

previously  resigned  from  this  branch  church. 

At  this  time  it  was  thought  best  by  these  practitioners, 
acting  as  a  unit,  to  publish  a  statement  setting  forth 
their  position.  This  was  made  all  the  more  necessary 
because  there  had  been  such  misrepresentation  extant 
in  the  public  press.  In  some  of  the  public  prints  it  was 
wrongly  stated  that,  once  dropped  from  the  roll  of 
membership,  practitioners  could  no  longer  practise 
Christian  Science.  In  others  it  was  reported  that  these 
sixteen  practitioners  had  been  found  to  entertain 
mistaken  conceptions  of  the  teachings  of  Christian 
Science.  Their  answer  is  as  courageous  as  it  is  con- 
clusive on  these  points.     Their  letter  said: 

^  The  charges  brought  against  us,  experienced  demonstra- 
tors of  Christian  Science,  by  the  new  and  untried  Trustees 

'See  page  i86. 

'This  letter  appeared  in  part  in  The  Sun  (New  York)  April  4,  1910. 

245 


246      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

of  the  church,  indicate  on  the  part  of  these  Trustees 
a  lamentable  ignorance  of  the  mission  of  Christianity  as 
Public  state-  interpreted  by  Jesus,  and  a  dangerous  miscon- 
ment  by  ception  of  the  teachings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy  as 
practitioners    ^y^^  [^  Science  and  Health  and  her  other  writings. 

We,  one  and  all,  subscribe  to  the  Tenets  of  Christian 
Science  as  set  forth  in  our  textbook.  Science  and  Health, 
page  497.     The  last  of  these  Tenets  is  as  follows: 

"And  we  solemnly  promise  to  watch,  and  pray  for  that 
Mind  to  be  in  us  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus;  to  do  unto 
others  as  we  would  have  them  do  unto  us ;  and  to  be  merciful, 
just,  and  pure"  (Mother  Church  Manual,  p.  16). 

This  Mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  we  understand  to  be 
the  law  of  Truth  to  error.  The  operation  of  this  law  neces- 
sarily destroys  error  of  every  name  and  nature.  This  law 
is  not  man  made;  it  is  the  irresistible,  inevitable  law  of 
being  and  never  fails  of  fulfilment.  Christian  Science 
teaches  that  sin,  disease,  and  death  are  error,  therefore. 
Truth  is  the  destroyer  of  these  enemies  of  man.  It  is  the 
right,  privilege,  and  duty  of  man  to  declare  the  law  and 
to  execute  judgment  upon  everything  that  is  opposed  to 
his  health,  happiness,  and  prosperity. 

Christian  Science  calls  all  that  is  opposed  to  this  law  of 
good  "animal  magnetism,"  and  also  clearly  points  out  that, 
as  this  is  neither  God,  nor  emanates  from  God,  it  is  not 
power,  but  merely  a  false  belief  in  power.  This  false 
belief  has  held  the  world  in  bondage  and  is  the  cause  of 
every  ill  known  to  man.  It  is  against  this  belief,  this  illu- 
sion, this  despotic  fear,  that  we  have  worked  and  prayed. 

This  is  the  teaching  we  have  received  from  Mrs.  Augusta 
E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  which  we  have  followed  and 
Mrs.  stetson's  ^j-q  continuing  to  follow.  It  has  enabled  us  to 
enabled  us  heal  the  sick  and  sinning,  and  we  shall  continue 
to  heal  the  gQ  ^q  (Jq  j^  would  havc  been  impossible,  un- 
sinning"  dcrstandiug  such  teaching,  for  any  of  us  to 
have  sent  out,  at  the  twelve  o'clock  meetings, 
or  at  any  other  time,  any  such  thing  as  a  "death  thought,"  or 


Sixteen  Practitioners  Make  Statement  247 

to  have  malpractised  on  any  one,  nor  was  there  anything 
of  this  character  done  at  said  meetings. 

We  have  never  committed  any  act  which  abrogates 
our  right  to  practise  Christian  Science.  We  shall  continue 
to  follow  the  teachings  of  Science  and  Health,    .,„ 

°  .  Have  never 

to  heal  the  sick  and  sinning  according  to  our  committed 
understanding.  This  is  our  inalienable  right.  ^JJ^/J^J^'^^^^ 
Mrs.  Eddy  says,  in  The  People's  Idea  of  God,  right  to  prac- 

tise  Christian 

page  one:  Science" 

"The  beatings  of  our  heart  can  be  heard;  but 
the  ceaseless  throbbings  and  throes  of  thought  are  unheard, 
as  it  changes  from  material  to  spiritual  standpoints.  Even 
the  pangs  of  death  disappear,  accordingly  as  the  under- 
standing that  we  are  spiritual  beings  here  reappears,  and 
we  learn  our  capabilities  for  good,  which  insures  man's  con- 
tinuance and  is  the  true  glory  of  immortality." 

(Signed  by) 
Kate  Y.  Remer  Mary  E.  Pearson 

Mary  H.  Freshman  Catherine  B.  Gillpatrick 

Sibyl  Marvin  Huse  Steuart  C.  Rowbotham 

Jessie  Tuttle  Colton  Mary  R.  Pinney 

S.  Margaret  Duncan  E.  F.  Hatfield 

Letitia  H.  Greene  Arnold  Blome 

Anna  A.  Holden  M.  Augusta  Aikman 

Antoinette  L.  Ensworth  Amelia  S.  Rowbotham 

The  foregoing  document  is  well  worthy  of  a  place  in 
the  annals  of  denominational  history. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

TWO-COUNT  COMPLAINT  TO    THE    DIRECTORS 
OF  THE  MOTHER  CHURCH  ANALYZED 

Under  date  of  April  4,  1910,  the  First  Reader  of 

The  Mother  Church  submitted  the  first  complaints 

against    these    same    sixteen    practitioners 

pJ^Thf  Mother  whom  he  had  "admonished"  on  the  7th  and 

Church  files     J  ith  of  March,  1910.     The  New  York  branch 

charges  after       ,  ,  ,  <      .  m  i     • 

New  York  church,  through  its  new  Irustees  and  its 
prTctitfonfrr  ^^^^t  Reader,  on  April  2,  1910,  only  two  days 
prior  to  the  submission  of  these  complaints 
had  gone  through  the  form  of  dropping  from  member- 
ship in  that  church  fifteen  of  these  same  practitioners. 
After  this  final  step  was  taken  in  the  New  York  church, 
Clifford  P.  Smith,  as  First  Reader  at  Boston,  submitted 
the  following  complaints  under  "Coimt  One"  and 
"Count  Two."  The  "Complaint"  against  Miss  Ens- 
worth  is  given  below  as  showing  the  form  of  papers 
which  each  of  these  practitioners  received. 

Complaint 

To  The  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts: 
As  the  First  Reader  of  said  Church,  having  the  duty  to 
enforce  its  discipline  and  By-laws,  I  submit  the  following 
complaints  against  Miss  Antoinette  Ensworth,  who  is  a 

248 


Two-Count  Complaint  249 

member  of  this  Church.  These  complaints  refer  to  offenses 
concerning  which  she  has  been  admonished  according  to 
the  Scripture  in  Matthew  xviii:  15-17,  and  they  are  made 
from  Christian  motives. 

COUNT   ONE 

That  Miss  Antoinette  L.  Ensworth  has  been  found  trying 
to  practise  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement 
thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures,  and  admonished  to  desist  from  such  practise, 
as  provided  in  Article  XII,  Sect.  2,  of  the  By-laws  of  this 
Church;  notwithstanding  which  she  persists  in  this  offense. 

COUNT   TWO 

That  Miss  Antoinette  L.  Ensworth  persists  in  working 
mentally  and  otherwise  against  the  interests  of  the  members 
of  this  church  who  are  not  personal  adherents  of  Mrs. 
Augusta  E.  Stetson. 

Dated  April  4,  19 10. 

(Signed)  Clifford  P.  Smith,  First  Reader. 

"Count  One"  does  not  state  the  act  which  consti- 
tutes the  offense  alleged.  This  "Count"  contains 
merely  a  general  allegation  of  the  commission  Allegations 
of  an  offense.  If  considered  in  a  legal  sense,  °°*  specific 
it  refers  to  a  statute  (Article  XII.,  Section  2),  and 
states  that  the  accused  has  violated  the  rule  specified; 
but  it  fails  to  state  or  specify  any  particular  act  com- 
mitted by  the  accused  which  constitutes  the  alleged 
violation. 

The  duty  so  to  do  is  not  a  mere  technical  require- 
ment, but  an  expression  in  law  of  a  requirement  funda- 
mental to  the  common  rules  of  justice,  that  when  a 
person  is  accused  of  an  offense,  the  facts  should  be  so 
stated  that  the  accused  should  be  sufficiently  advised 


250      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

of  the  particulars  thereof  to  enable  him  to  prepare  a 
defense. 

"Count  Two"  does  not  state  the  By-Law  violated, 
nor  does  it  state  the  acts  constituting  the  alleged  offense. 

The  practitioners  would  have  been  legally  justified 
in  treating  the  "Complaint"  and  "Orders"  of  April 
4,  1 9 10,  as  a  nullity.  It  does  not  appear,  however, 
that  they  in  any  way  consulted  or  considered  their 
legal  rights;  they  acted  according  to  the  ordinary 
course  of  persons  accused, — by  answering  the  "Com- 
plaint" as  directly  as  possible.  Each  of  the  answers 
denies  the  charges  directly  and  positively. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  copies  of  this  "Com- 
plaint" as  served  were  not  actually  signed  by  CHfford 
,  J  ^„  P-  Smith,  First  Reader,  but  were  in  type- 

" Complaint"  '  '  •' ^ 

and  "Orders"  Written  form  throughout.  Likewise  the  copy 
defective  ^£  ^j^^  "  Dircctors'  Ordcrs  Governing  Trial," 
was  not  signed,  but  was  also  submitted  in  typewritten 
form  throughout  and  was  sent  without  any  accompany- 
ing letter.  Technically,  neither  the  "Complaint"  nor 
the  "Orders"  of  the  same  date  reached  the  practi- 
tioners in  due  form.  Below  is  given  a  copy  of  these 
"  Orders,"  as  transmitted  to  the  New  York  practitioners : 

Directors'  Orders  Governing  Trial 

April  4,  1910 

Special  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
duly  called  by  the  Clerk. 

Present:  all  of  the  Directors. 

Trial  by  Complaints  against  Mr.  Arnold  Blome,  Mrs. 

affidavit  yi    Augusta  Aikman,    Miss   Jessie   T.    Colton, 

Miss  Margaret  Duncan,  Miss  Antoinette  Ensworth,  Mrs. 


Two-Count  Complaint  251 

Mary  H,  Freshman,  Mrs,  Catherine  Gillpatrick,  Mrs 
Letitia  H.  Greene,  Mrs.  Anna  A.  Holden,  Miss  Sibyl 
Huse,  Miss  Mary  E.  Pearson,  Mrs.  Kate  Y.  Remer,  Mrs. 
Amelia  S.  Rowbotham,  Mr.  Steuart  C.  Rowbotham,  Mr.  Ed- 
win F.  Hatfield,  and  Miss  Mary  R.  Pinney  having  been  laid 
before  this  Board  by  the  First  Reader  of  this  Church,  it  was 
thereupon  ordered  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  that 
the  evidence  in  support  or  defense  of  said  complaints  shall  be 
presented  in  the  form  of  affidavits  or  documents ;  provided 
that  this  Board  may,  at  the  request  of  either  party  based 
on  sufficient  reasons,  require  the  maker  of  any  affidavit 
to  appear  before  this  Board  for  oral  examination;  and  in 
such  case  the  affidavit  shall  not  be  received  as  evidence  if 
the  affiant  does  not  appear  and  give  his  evidence  subject 
to  cross-examination. 

It  was  also  ordered  by  the  Directors  that  the  evidence 
in  support  of  the  complaints  shall  be  filed  with  the  Clerk 
of  this  Church  on  or  before  April  14,  1910;  that  inadequate 
the  answers  to  the  complaints  and  the  evidence  time  allowed 
in  defense  thereof  shall  be  filed  with  the  Clerk 
on  or  before  April  18,  1910;  that  any  evidence  in  rebuttal 
shall  be  filed  with  the  Clerk  on  or  before  April  20,  1910; 
after  which  the  cases  shall  be  decided  by  this  Board  in 
accordance  with  the  By-laws  of  this  Church. 

It  was  further  ordered  by  the  Directors  that  the  Secre- 
tary of  this  Board  shall  send  a  copy  of  the  complaint  against 
him  or  her  and  a  copy  of  these  orders  to  each  of  jj^^j  ^^  ^^ 
the  accused  persons  by  registered  mail ;  that  the  Boston  to  see 
accused  persons  shall  have  the  right  to  examine  *"  ^'^'^^ 
the  evidence  against  them  as  soon  as  it  has  been  filed,  such 
examination  to  be  made  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  this 
Church;  and  that  each  of  the  accused  persons  may  have 
the  assistance  of  a  member  of  this  Church  as  his  or  her 
counsel. 

These  orders  were  adopted  by  unanimous  vote  of  the 
Directors. 


252      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

It  should  be  of  interest  to  Christian  Scientists 
throughout  the  Field  to  know  for  themselves  by  what 
rules  these  trials  were  to  be  conducted  on  the  part  of 
the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

DO  NOT  ORDERS   OF  APRIL  FOURTH   VIOLATE 
LAW  AND  JUSTICE? 

Critical  analysis  of  the  "Orders"  of  April  4,  in 

which  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  laid  down 

the    rules    of    procedure,    show    that    these 

Procedure       "  Qrders "   do  not  provide  for  a  trial,   but 

failed  to  .  ,  -      ,  .   ,  . 

provide  for  simply  prescribc  an  order  of  date  withm 
ing  to*Mant"ai  which  the  filing  of  affidavits  shall  take  place. 
This,  in  our  judgment,  directly  violates  that 
part  of  The  Mother  Church  Manual  which  requires 
that  "the  offender's  case  shall  be  tried"  (Article  XL, 
Section  i).  We  consider  that  the  Manual  was  again 
violated,  in  that  the  Clerk  of  The  Mother  Church  paid 
no  attention  to  the  Rule  of  the  Manual  which  requires 
him  to  "address  a  letter  of  inquiry  to  the  member  com- 
plained of  as  to  the  validity  of  the  charge"  (Article 
XL,  Section  6). 

Finally,  the  "Complaint,"  comprised  in  "Count  One" 
and  "Count  Two,"  does  not  charge  any  specific  offense, 
but  simply  states  in  general  words  that  they  have 
violated  the  Manual. 

These  "Orders"  purport  to  determine  the  following 
matters  relating  to  procedure: 
"Orders"  I.  Limit   evidcncc  to  affidavits  or  docu- 

of  April  4       jnents. 

2.  The  Board  may  require  the  maker  of  an  affidavit 
to  appear  for  oral  and  cross-examination. 

253 


254      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

3.  Limit  the  time  within  which  testimony  may  be 
filed. 

(a)  Evidence  in  support  of   "Complaint"  on  or 
before  April  14,  19 10. 

(b)  Answers  to  "Complaint"  and  evidence  in  de- 
fense on  or  before  April  18,  19 10. 

(c)  Evidence   in   rebuttal  on  or  before  April  20, 
1910. 

(d)  Cases  then  to  be  decided  by  Board. 

4.  Compel  accused  persons  to  go  to  Boston  to 
examine  affidavits  said  to  have  been  filed  against 
them. 

5.  Limit  right  of  coimsel  to  "a  member  of  this 
Church." 

Do  not  these  *' Orders''  as  to  procedure  offend  the  com- 
mon law  of  justice  and  are  they  not  therefore  defective,  for 
the  following  reasons: 

I.  Evidence  by  affidavits  is  not  the  best  evidence, 
and  deprives  the  accused  of  two  fundamental  rights : 

(a)  To  face  his  accuser  and  to  hear  the  testimony 
in  the  presence  of  the  witness.    (See  pages  26-28.) 

(b)  Right  to  cross-examine  the  witness. 

The  Directors  reserved  the  right  to  themselves  to 
determine  whether  or  not  a  witness  should  be  called 
for  oral  examination,  thus  entirely  depriving 
bJ'fffidTvit  the  accused  of  what  is  imiversally  accorded 
robs  accused  ^^  j^jg  fundamental  right,  namely,  to  be 
confronted  by  his  accuser,  with  the  right  to 
cross-examine. 

The  "Orders"  read:  "this  Board  may,  at  the  request 
of  either  party  based  on  sufficient  reasons,  require  the 
maker  of  any  affidavit  to  appear  before  this  Board  for 
oral  examination." 

The  decision  on  this  point  is  plainly  with  the  Board, 


Were  Law  and  Justice  Violated?     255 

who  alone  under  this  wording  may  decide  what  are 
sufficient  reasons;  and  if  the  Board  "may,"  it  follows 
that  it  "may  not,"  if  it  so  decides. 

Furthermore,  no  person  is  qualified  to  appear  as  a 
witness  unless  his  affidavit  shall  have  been  previously 
filed  on  or  before  April  18,  19 10.  Also  the  oral  exami- 
nation is  by  the  Board  and  not  by  the  accused  nor  in 
his  behalf  or  presence,  because  no  day  is  set  for  any 
hearing.  April  20,  1910,  is  the  last  day  for  evidence  in 
rebuttal  {i.  e.  in  support  of  the  "Complaint")  to  be 
filed,  "after  which  the  cases  shall  be  decided  by  this 
Board."  The  accused  is  denied  the  right  of  calling 
any  witness  whose  affidavit  has  not  been  first  presented 
to  the  Directors  within  a  prescribed  limited  time. 

2.  The  right  of  a  regular  trial  is  denied.  Article 
XI.,  Section  i,  of  The  Mother  Church  Manual  provides 
that    "the  offender's   case   shall  be   tried."         ^.  .     . 

Right  of 

Although  the  Manual  fails  to  set  out  the  regular  trial 
rules  of  procedure  governing  trials,  never-  *^  demed 
theless  it  is  the  right  of  an  accused  member  to  have  a 
trial  conducted  according  to  such  reasonable  rules  as 
shall  be  consistent  with  the  common  law  of  justice. 
A  fundamental  rule  is,  that  there  shall  be  such  a  trial 
as  shall  give  opportunity  to  the  accused  (i)  of  being 
fairly  advised  of  the  offense  charged,  and  (2)  of  fairly 
presenting  his  defense,  which  includes  being  faced  by 
his  accuser,  and  the  right  to  cross-examine. 

3.  The  rules  prescribed  by  the  "Orders"  of  April  4, 
are  oppressively  burdensome  to  the  accused. 

(a)  The  accused  is  compelled  to  go  to  Ryjes  of  trial 
Boston    to    examine    the    affidavits        unfair  to 

,    ,  .  accused 

agamst  mm. 
This  is  a  burden  that  the  Board  had  no  right  to 
impose.     The  accused  is  compelled  to  go  to  Boston 


256      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

to  determine  even  the  alleged  facts  of  the  "Complaint," 
because  the  "Complaint "  contained  no  specifications. 
(b)  Sufficient  time  to  prepare  defense  is  not  given. 

The  affidavits  in  support  of  the  "Complaint"  may- 
be filed  on  or  before  April  14,  1910,  although  April  18, 
1910,  is  the  last  day  on  which  the  accused  may  file 
coimter  affidavits.  This  allows  but  four  days  within 
which  the  accused  must  go  to  Boston,  examine  evi- 
dence against  him,  determine  his  defense,  procure  wit- 
nesses and  reduce  their  testimony  to  the  form  of 
affidavits  and  file  the  same  in  Boston.  Such  a  proce- 
dure would  be  unconscionable  in  any  Court  of  Justice. 

The  course  pursued  by  the  Christian  Science  Board 
of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  in  arriving  at  their 
Procedure  conclusions  regarding  persons  accused  before 
uiustrated  by  them,  may  be  gathered  from  the  correspond- 
Hatfleid  '*  ^^^c  with  Mr.  Edwin  F.  Hatfield,  one  of  the 
former  Trustees  of  the  New  York  church. 
Mr.  Hatfield  received  advice  from  the  Assistant  Secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Directors  on  April  13,  1910, 
stating  that  "a  large  quantity  of  evidence  in  support 
of  the  complaint  against  you  has  been  filed  in  this  office, 
where  it  may  be  examined." 

When  Mr.  Hatfield  received  the  above  advice  of  April 
13,  he  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Christian  Science 
Board  of  Directors  (Mr.  J.  V.  Dittemore),  as  follows: 

There  cannot  be  any  such  "evidence"  except  my  public 
official  acts,  which  it  was  my  duty  to  perform,  and  any 
inferences  derived  from  them  in  support  of  the 
for  ropy°of**°  complaint  of  Judge  Smith  against  me  must  be 
alleged  "evi-  as  Unwarranted  and  unjust  as  the  complaint 
against  him  itself .  At  the  Same  time  I  have  to  request  that 
you  will  furnish  me  a  copy  of  any  "evidence" 
that  may  have  been  filed  with  you  in  support  of  his  com- 


Were  Law  and  Justice  Violated?     257 

plaint,  as  I  would  like  to  know  if  the  facts  are  correctly- 
stated  and  I  think  I  am  entitled  to  this  without  incurring 
the  expense  and  trouble  of  going  to  Boston  to  see  them.  I 
enclose  my  check  for  ten  dollars,  which  should  cover  the 
cost  of  making  such  copies  and  sending  them  to  me,  for  I 
only  want  the  copies  of  the  affidavits  themselves,  and  not 
of  any  papers  to  which  they  may  refer.  ...  If  the  cost 
of  making  such  copies  should  be  a  little  more  than  the  ten 
dollars  please  advise  me  so  that  I  can  remit  the  difference. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Hatfield  received  from  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  (Mr. 
Dittemore)  the  following  telegram : 

It  is  not  practicable  to  furnish  copy  of  evidence  in  time. 
Your  evidence,  if  any,  must  be  filed  by  Monday.  See  copy 
of  orders  sent  you. 

In  a  letter  of  identical  date,  confirming  the  above 
telegram  quoted,  the  Secretary  writes: 

Permit  me  also  to  assure  you  that  the  few  decisions  which 
the  Directors  have  been  obliged  to  make  in  such  cases  have 
always  been  based  on  adequate  evidence. 

April  15,  1910,  was  on  Friday.  The  telegram  above 
quoted  required  evidence,  "if  any,"  to  be  filed  by  the 
following  Monday.  There  was  no  way  of  knowing 
what  the  affidavits  on  which  "Complaints"  were  based 
contained  nor  by  whom  they  were  filed,  except  by 
going  to  Boston.  Mr.  Hatfield  that  same  day  (April 
15,  1 9 10)  sent  the  following  letter: 

New  York  Crrv, 
April  15,  1910. 
Dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — I  am  in  receipt  of  your  telegram 
of  this  date,  for  which  I  am  obliged,  but  I  beg  to  renew 
17 


258      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

my  request  for  copies  of  the  affidavits  or  other  statements 
filed  as  evidence  to  support  Judge  Smith's  complaint 
against  me,  whether  in  time  to  answer  or  not. 

There  can  be  no  evidence  to  submit  in  defense  of  the 
false  charges  of  Judge  Smith,  except  the  unqualified  denial 
of  them  which  I  have  made,  and  I  also  deny  the  inferences 
sought  to  be  made  in  support  of  them,  in  any  evidence  he 
has  submitted  or  may  submit. 

Yours  very  truly, 
(Signed)    E.  F.  Hatfield. 
P.  S. 

If  you  still  decline  to  send  me  copies  of  the  papers  and 
affidavits  asked  for,  then,  in  all  fairness,  they  certainly 
should  be  sent  to  the  Publication  Office  here,  to  be  examined 
and  answered,  and  the  time  should  be  extended  for  this 
purpose. 

(Signed)     E.  F.  H. 

To  this  no  reply  whatever  was  ever  received  by  Mr. 
Hatfield.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  copy  of  evidence 
His  lea  for  ^^^  rcfuscd  Only  on  the  ground  that  "it  is 
papers  and  not  practicable  to  furnish  copy  of  evidence  in 
time  Ignored  ^jj^^g^"  -^j^g^  the  Dircctors  posscssing  the  "evi- 
dence" had  themselves  fixed  the  date  for  the  hearing, 
it  would  have  been  but  a  simple  act  of  justice  to  have 
delayed  the  hearing  as  requested  by  Mr.  Hatfield  and 
given  the  accused  an  opportunity  to  prepare  for  defense. 
Without  the  information  requested  there  was  no  way 

of  knowing  even  what  the  line  of  accusation 
Christian  was.  Under  the  circumstances,  the  method 
^  nd'io  e  ?       °^  arriving  at  decisions  amounted  practically 

to  the  exclusion  of  evidence  from  the  accused, 
and  to  trial  without  hearing  and  in  his  absence.  This  is 
certainly  not  our  concept  of  Christian  justice  and  love. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

PRACTITIONERS'  ANSWERS  TO  THE  TWO-COUNT 
COMPLAINT 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  "Complaint" 
and  "Orders"  as  to  procedure  mailed  to  the  New  York 
practitioners  were  embodied  in  typewritten  Every  practi- 
form  only  and   lacked  any  official  written  ,«°°"  f ^.'^/f, 

•'  "^         _  "  Complaint " 

signature  or  other  authentication,  and  were 
not  accompanied  by  any  letter  of  transmittal,  yet  the 
practitioners  named  in  the  "Two-Count  Complaint" 
in  every  case  made  prompt  reply  thereto  by  a  direct 
communication  sent  by  each  one  to  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors of  The  Mother  Church. 
Their  replies  are  as  follows: 

Mrs.  Remer's  Reply 

New  York  City, 
Friday,  April  8,  1910. 

To  The  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
in  Boston,  Mass. 
I,  Kate  Y.  Remer,  answering  the  complaint  of  Judge 
C.  P.  Smith  (dated  April  4,  1910)  deny  each  and  every 
allegation  contained  in  said  complaint,  and  also 
deny  that  the  complaint  or  the  charges  therein    ^J'^f^^JJ^J 
made  are  made  from  Christian  motives.  charges  were 

I  have  never  practised  or  tried  to  practise      "ct^jgJJ'a'^ 
Christian   Science   contrary   to   the   statement  motives 

thereof  in  its  textbook.  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures,  and  never  having  done  so,  I,  of  course, 
do  not  persist  in  this  offense.     I  have  never  mentally  or 

2^9 


26o      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

otherwise  worked,  nor  persisted  in  working  mentally  or 
otherwise  against  the  interests  of  the  members  of  The 
Mother  Church  or  any  of  its  branches  who  are  not  personal 
adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.  I  refer  you 
to  my  letter  of  February  i6,  19 lo,  which  I  now  reiterate. 
I  do  not  expect  to  be  in  Boston  this  month. 

Very  truly  yours, 

(Signed)     Kate  Y.  Remer. 

Miss  Duncan's  Reply 

.  .  .  Count  One:  .  .  .  The  First  Reader  has  admon- 
ished me  to  desist  from  practising  what  is  his  and  others' 
concept  of  my  practice.  Article  XII.,  Section 
Duncan:  2'  °^  ^^®  Church  Manual,  mentioned  in  his 
"These  Complaint,   provides  for  those  who  are  found 

faise^"^  "^  violating  the  By-Laws  or  Rules  therein  set  forth. 
I  deny  most  emphatically  that  I  have  ever  vio- 
lated any  of  these  Rules  or  By-Laws,  consequently  there  was 
no  occasion  for  the  First  Reader  to  admonish  me.  Fiu"ther- 
more,  I  do  not  persist  in  any  offense  I  never  committed. 

Count  Two:  I  deny  most  emphatically  that  I  work,  or 
persist  in  working,  mentally  and  otherwise,  against  the 
interests  of  the  members  of  The  Mother  Church  who  are 
not  personal  adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson.  These 
charges  are  false.  Under  the  circumstances  which  have 
given  rise  to  the  charges  lodged  against  me,  I  deny  they 
were  made  from  "Christian  motives." 

Mrs.  Rowbotham's  Reply 

I  have  received  a  very  impersonal  communication  dated 
Mrs.  Row-  April  4th,  containing  complaints  purporting  to 
botham:         ^omc  from  Judge  Clifford   P.   Smith.    ...      I 

Complaints        ,  ,  ,  ,  1    •     ■ 

"  cannot  be     hereby  assert  that  these   complaints  were  not 
substantiated  made  in  accordance  with  the  Christian  spirit  of 
^^'°°  Matthew  xviii.,  15-17.       To  quote  from  Science 

and  Health,  page  458,  line  23,  the  words  of  our  Leader, 
Mrs.   Eddy:    "The    Christianly    scientific    man    reflects 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    261 

the  divine  law,  thus  becoming  a  law  unto  himself.     He  does 
violence  to  no  man.     Neither  is  he  a  false  accuser." 

I  absolutely  and  finally  deny  that  there  is  any  truth  in 
said  complaints,  and  I  also  positively  declare  that  they 
cannot  be  substantiated  by  proof.  .  .  . 

Mr.  Blome's  Reply 

Mr.  Arnold  Blome  denies  categorically  each  of  the 

"Two  Counts."     He  says,  in  his  communication  to 

the  Board  of  Directors: 

New  York  City,  N.  Y., 
April  9,  1910. 

To  The  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Gentlemen: — Your  communication,  without  accompany- 
ing letter,  of  April  4th  received.  The  complaint  made  by 
Judge  Clifford  P.  Smith  is  a  mistaken  sense  of 
my  practice  of  Christian  Science,  and  I  deny  that  ^^^^^^  having 
I  have  been  admonished  "from  Christian  mo-  offended 
tives."  I  deny  in  "Count  One"  that  I  practise  oMhe°church 
Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement  in 
our  textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures, 
and  have  committed  no  offense  against  the  By-Laws  of 
The  Mother  Church. 

In  "Count  Two"  I  deny  emphatically  that  1  am  working 
against  the  interests  of  the  members  of  The  Mother  Church, 
or  the  members  of  its  branch  churches,  either  mentally  or 
otherwise.  The  repeated  remark  "personal  adherents" 
is  unscientific  and  therefore  not  worthy  of  consideration. 
In  this,  my  final  say,  to  this  Board,  I  shall  again  declare 
my  conscientious  and  honest  convictions  and  shall  no  longer 
silence  my  heart  and  better  judgment  but  speak  the  truth 
as  Spirit  gives  utterance.  Our  dear  Master  said  to  all 
Christians:  if  ye  judge  at  all,  "Judge  righteous  judgment." 
This  has  not  been  rendered  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 


262      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

teaching  and  practice  of  Christian  Science.  To  my  sense 
it  is  our  dear  Leader's  teaching  and  the  teaching  of  Science 
and  Health  which  is  on  trial,  for  that  is  what  Mrs.  Stetson 
has  taught  me.  Although  I  feel  that  I  should  end  here 
with  Jesus'  words:  "If  I  tell  you,  ye  will  not  believe,"  I 
must  state  to  you  what  I  gathered  from  the  proceedings  in 
Boston  when  called  as  a  witness  in  September  last.  All 
steps  that  have  been  taken  following  this  proceeding,  have 
been  governed  by  the  same  erroneous  sense  and  have  not 
only  been  unchristian,  but  cruel  and  despotic. 

Having  been  with  Mrs.  Stetson  in  daily  work  for  the 
Cause  of  Christian  Science  a  number  of  years,  and  attended 
the  practitioners'  meetings  of  First  Church  in  New  York 
for  some  ten  years,  it  is  my  great  privilege  to  know  her, 
not  only  as  a  Christian  Scientist,  teacher  and  practitioner, 
but  as  a  friend  and  loving  sister.  In  her  home  life  I  have 
found  her  a  loving,  practical  and  economical  Christian 
woman,  in  her  active  life  as  a  Christian  Scientist,  a  con- 
sistent, loyal,  faithful  and  obedient  student  of  Mrs.  Eddy, 
our  revered  Leader.  She  has  often  quoted  from  Science 
and  Health,  the  words  of  our  beloved  Leader:  "the  demands 
of  God  must  be  met."  Her  standard  of  Christian  Science 
has  been  too  high  for  many  of  her  students  and  a  number 
of  them  have  maligned  and  persecuted  her  because  of  her 
realization  of  Truth;  and  her  consistent  demonstration 
thereof  has  been  a  rebuke  to  error.  Her  position  as  a 
Field  worker  has  been  unique  and  has  borne  good  fruit. 
Like  our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Stetson  has  many  so-called 
enemies,  but  she  knows  she  has  none.  Her  love  is  univer- 
sal and  divine.  Disgruntled,  disloyal,  and  undisciplined 
students  have  turned  from  what  they  consider  personal 
control  of  Mrs.  Stetson  to  their  own  self-will  and  human 
energy  as  their  guide  "from  sense  to  Soul,"^  and  have 
named  this  "blind  guide"  Principle. 

The  fact  is  that  these  students  were  imwilling  to  come 

*  Science  and  Health,  page  566. 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    263 

under  the  "rod  of  Love,"  and  suffer  out  of  sense  and  self, 
but  rather  hold  on  to  all  of  their  luggage  of  belief,  self,  and 
sin.  These  students  handled  by  revenge,  envy,  and  jealousy 
have  for  years  plotted  and  planned  to  destroy  "  troublesome 
Truth,"  ^  reflected  by  this  unselfish  and  untiring  student  of 
Christian  Science,  and  have  finally  found  a  response  in  our 
present  Board  of  Directors  to  act  upon  accumulated  reports, 
hearsay,  distorted  concepts  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching,  utter 
falsities  and  prejudices.  Her  trial  in  Boston  was  a  mere 
form,  and  well  have  the  Directors  said  to  me  when  I  was 
called  as  a  witness,  "  Mr.  Blome,  we  do  not  need  your  testi- 
mony." "  If  my  testimony  is  not  needed,  why  was  I  called, 
and  why  am  I  called  this  day  ?  "  The  statements  of  disloyal 
and  undisciplined  students  of  Mrs.  Stetson  were  put  into  a 
form  of  questions  dealing  purely  with  the  words  which  Mrs. 
Stetson  used  and  names  of  persons  she  named ; — to  this  the 
practitioners  who  attended  the  twelve  o'clock  meetings  in 
First  Church,  New  York,  were  asked  to  say  "Yes  or  No," 
even  though  some  questions  involved  from  three  to  five 
individual  meanings. 

They  were  also  told  to  speak  humanly  truthfully  and  not 
from  the  "fourth  dimension  of  Spirit."^  It  sounded  to  me 
like  this:  Answer  "Yes  or  No,"  and  we  will  make  error  a 
part  of  Truth.  The  subtle  suggestion  to  be  "humanly 
truthful"  and  speak  as  a  human  was  the  voice  of  the  "one 
evil," 3  using  truthfulness  in  the  name  of  error  for  a  means 
to  an  evil  end.  The  practitioners,  having  been  taught  by 
a  Christian  Science  teacher  who  teaches  the  spirit  of  Chris- 
tian Science  and  lives  in  accordance  with  her  teaching,  were 
thus  put  in  a  position  to  answer  "Yes  or  No"  to  a  mistaken 
sense  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching. 

The  frequent  admonition  to  speak  humanly  and  not 
from  the  "fourth  dimension  of  Spirit"  brought  confusion 
and  made  Christian  Science  metaphysics  void.  The  wit- 
nesses were  not  allowed  to  speak  about  the  occasion  and 

'  Science  and  Health,  page  542, 

'Miscellaneous  Writings,  page  22.         ^Science  and  Health,  page  476, 


264     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

motive  that  prompted  certain  sayings  and  actions.  The 
spirit  of  the  teachings  and  practices  of  Mrs.  Stetson  was 
carefully  left  out  of  it  all.  It  was  naturally  confusing  to 
the  witnesses  who  are  used  to  work  out  all  problems  in 
Christian  Science  metaphysics  and  are  taught  pure  Christian 
Science,  i.e.,  "Spirit  is  All-in-all,  and  matter  nothing." 
St.  John  says,  "Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God." 
Most  of  the  time  was  taken  up  to  make  the  witness  a  liar 
by  questioning  him  about  time,  date,  place,  names  of  per- 
sons and  words  used,  whereas  the  witnesses  went  to  Boston 
expecting  to  meet  holy  men — a  spiritual  and  metaphysical 
court — and  went  with  reverence  of  the  Directors  and  re- 
spected their  position  as  the  constituted  authority.  Mrs. 
Stetson  always  taught  us  to  respect  and  obey  implicitly 
constituted  authority.  Her  students  realize  in  a  degree 
and  live  in  accordance  with  their  realization  that  the  in- 
dividual is  spiritual,  and  that  finite  personality  is  shadow 
— no  thing — but  a  claim  to  something. 

In  Unity  of  Good,  page  47  (pocket  edition),  we  read:  "The 
evil,  accompanying  physical  personality,  is  illusive  and 
mortal ;  but  the  good  attendant  upon  spiritual  individuality 
is  immortal."  It  was  impossible  for  loyal  students  of  Mrs. 
Stetson  to  answer  the  questions  correctly,  as  the  questions 
were  formed  by  a  material  concept  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  sup- 
posed teaching,  and  left  nothing  of  the  real  meaning  and 
the  metaphysical  import.  Any  answer  under  these  condi- 
tions of  "Yes  or  No"  would  lead  to  one  of  three  errors,  or 
to  all  three — i.e.,  make  Mrs.  Stetson  a  malpractitioner,  the 
witness  a  liar  or  a  disloyal  student  thus  revealing  not  a 
spark  of  real  Truth  as  Mrs.  Stetson  has  taught  it.  A 
material  court  can  scarcely  judge  honest  metaphysical 
and  spiritual  teaching  nor  practices  of  Christian  Science. 
A  disloyal  student  cannot  give  a  correct  statement  of  a 
loyal  teacher.  No  loyal  student  of  Christian  Science  can 
make  a  disloyal  one  understand  his  motive  and  concept  so 
long  as  the  disloyal  is  satisfied  with  his  position.  Mrs. 
Stetson  has  never  malpractised  and  cannot  harm  any  one 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint     265 

as  she  has  no  faith  in  evil  but  all  faith  in  good.  The  mental 
impression  of  a  word  decides  the  motive  and  character. 
In  Miscellaneous  Writings,  page  31,  our  dear  Leader  says, 
in  regard  to  mental  malpractice, — "Its  claim  to  power  is 
in  proportion  to  the  faith  in  evil,  and  consequently  to  the 
lack  of  faith  in  good."  I  fail  to  see  justice  in  the  decision 
of  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  and  deny  that  Mrs. 
Stetson  has  taught  "pretended  Christian  Science,"  but 
taught  me  the  Christian  Science  of  our  textbook. 

As  a  Christian  Scientist  and  member  of  the  Church  of 
Christ,  I  shall  work  harder  to  "put  o£E  the  old  man  with 
his  deeds ;  and  .  .  .  put  on  the  new  man,"  to  help  burst  this 
cloud  of  prejudice  and  misunderstanding,  and  wait  patiently 
on  God  as  He  is  unfolding  to  us  the  spiritual  purport  of  this 
hour.  My  trust  in  God  and  His  Christ  can  never  be  taken 
from  me,  and  with  St.  Paul  I  say,  from  Romans  viii. :  "For 
I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things 
to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature, 
shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

I  find  also  much  comfort  and  assurance  in  the  words  of 
our  beloved  Leader,  "There  is  but  one  Law  and  that  is  the 
Law  of  God.  There  is  but  one  Court  and  that  is  the  Court 
of  Heaven.  It  is  a  court  of  Absolute  Justice,  whose  de- 
cision is  final.  Human  concepts  and  opinions  have  been 
formulated  into  laws,  and  human  courts  administer  these 
laws;  but  God  is  the  final  arbiter,  the  Supreme  Judge." 

Sincerely  yours  in  Christ, 
(Signed)    Arnold  Blome. 

Mr.  Hatfield's  Reply 

New  York  City, 
April  II,  1910. 

To  The  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
in  Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Brethren: — On  the  seventh  instant,   I  received  a 


266     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

registered  document,  on  the  outside  of  which  appeared  the 
name  of  J.   V.   Dittemore,    Secretary,    but,    on    opening 

it,  there  was  no  letter,  only  two  typewritten 
fi^ds^a*^e*rs*  P^pers,  One  without  any  signature,  and  the 
in  question  othcr,  headed  "Complaint,"  having  the  printed 
caTd''^''*''     signature  of  "CHfEord  P.  Smith,  First  Reader." 

These  unauthenticated  papers  announced  the 
action  of  your  Board  upon  complaints  by  Judge  Smith 
against  some  of  our  New  York  practitioners,  including 
myself. 

There  are  two  counts  in  this  complaint  against  me,  of 
an  astounding  character,  and  1  deny  them  both  in  the  most 

positive  terms.  For  twenty-two  years  I  have 
"  Counts »  been  a  diligent  student  of  Christian  Science, 
as  ridiculous    loving  its  tcxtbook  and  its  revered  Leader,  and 

those  who  know  me  would  laugh  at  the  imputa- 
tion that  I  now  am  "trying  to  practise,"  or  ever  have  tried 
to  practise  "Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement 
thereof  in  its  textbook,"  or  that  I  now  work,  or  ever  have 
worked  "mentally  and  otherwise  against  the  interests  of  the 
members  of"  The  Mother  Church  "who  are  not  personal 
adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson."  It  is  absurd  on 
the  face  of  it.     What  does  it  all  mean? 

The  Church  Manual  says,  in  Article  XI.,  Section  5: — 
"The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors  has  power  to 

discipHne,  place  on  probation,  remove  from  mem- 
Questions       bcrship,  or  to  excommunicate  members  of  The 

right  to  en-  '^^  .         .        ,  . 

force  uni-       Mother  Church."     Their  authority  is  therefore 
formityof       undisputed,  and  it  is  not  to  be  assumed  that 

opinion  f  '  .■,■■,■ 

they  are  unaware  of  the  crucial  responsibihty 
of  this  sacred  trust,  neither  to  be  negligent  of  their  duty, 
nor  to  abuse  the  power  placed  in  their  hands.  They  are 
the  custodians  of  the  rights  of  each  member  of  the  Church, 
and  they  cannot  escape  the  obligation  to  defend  these  rights 
vigilantly  and  impartially  against  misrepresentation  and 
calumny,  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  Church,  and  wisely 
to  administer  its  affairs  and  promote  its  highest  interests. 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    267 

It  is  not  therefore  my  province  to  criticize  or  condemn 
them.  They  are  accountable  for  their  own  acts  to  their 
Leader,  to  the  Church  at  large,  to  the  verdict  of  public 
opinion,  to  the  searchlight  of  their  own  higher  conscious- 
ness, and  "to  God  the  Judge  of  all." 

But  are  they  fallible  or  infallible?  Does  submission 
to  their  findings  involve  approval  of  them?  Is  there  no 
room  for  difference  of  opinion,  and  can  we,  without  hy- 
pocrisy, violate  our  convictions?  Should  the  anathema  of 
excommunication  be  the  medium  for  an  enforced  unity? 

Sixteen  faithful  practitioners  have  been  arraigned  before 
your  Board,  falsely  accused.  They  are  the  consecrated 
exponents  of  the  Truth,  loyal  to  their  beloved  Exponents  of 
Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and  true  to  their  Truth  faiseiy 
teacher,   Augusta  E.   Stetson.     The  issues    in-  accused 

volved  are  momentous.  You  stand  in  the  lime-light  of  the 
public  gaze.  What  will  you  do  with  the  opportunity  before 
you?  The  world  has  no  interest  in  Christian  Science  as  a 
sect,  or  in  any  war  of  creeds.  It  is  hungering  for  the  de- 
monstration of  the  omnipotence  of  Love,  the  unreality  of 
evil;  for  the  triumph  of  Spirit  over  matter,  the  healing 
benediction  attending  the  wonderful  revelation  of  Truth 
that  Mrs.  Eddy  has  taught  in  its  purity  and  power.  Is  this 
great  Cause  to  be  obstructed  and  materialized,  or  conserved 
in  its  grandeur  and  strength? 

"God  give  us  men!     A  time  like  this  demands 
Strong  minds,  great  hearts,  true  faith,  and  ready  hands; 
Men  who  possess  opinions  and  a  will; 
Tall  men,  sun -crowned,  who  live  above  the  fog: 
For  while  the  rabble,  with  their  thumb-worn  creeds, 
Their  large  professions  and  their  little  deeds, 
Mingle  in  selfish  strife, — lo!  Freedom  weeps, 
Wrong  rules  the  land,  and  waiting  Justice  sleeps!" 

(J.  G.  Holland.) 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)    E.  F.  Hatfield. 


268      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mrs.  Holden's  Reply 

New  York  City, 
April  II,  1910. 

To  The  Board  of  Directors  of 

The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Gentlemen: — In  defending  my  position,  as  to  my  teachings, 
I  am  but  standing  for  the  great  truth  taught  by  our  beloved 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  striving  to  advance  the 
characterizes  ^^-^se  of  Christian  Scicncc  by  accentuating  the 
complaints  truth  givcn  in  the  twelve  o'clock  meetings,  and 
uLIwf^^*"^  practised  by  my  teacher,  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 
Stetson,  C.S.D. 

Mrs.  Eddy  tells  us  that  "God  made  Man  immortal  and 
amenable  to  Spirit  only"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  434). 
She  also  tells  us  in  her  word  in  the  Sentinel,  January  16, 
1909,  "The  Way  of  Wisdom:  " 

"When  my  dear  brethren  in  New  York  desire  to  build 
higher, — to  enlarge  their  phylacteries  and  demonstrate 
Christian  Science  to  a  higher  extent, — they  must  begin 
on  a  wholly  spiritual  foundation,  than  which  there  is  no 
other.  .  .  . 

"Spirit  is  infinite;  therefore  Spirit  is  all.  'There  is  no 
matter'  is  not  only  the  axiom  of  true  Christian  Science, 
but  it  is  the  only  basis  upon  which  this  Science  can  be 
demonstrated." 

To  obey  this  injunction,  it  was  necessary  for  the  old 
Adam,  the  mortal  sense  of  man  to  be  dissolved;  and  the 
solvent  of  love  was  applied.  The  sword  of  Spirit  was 
wielded  fearlessly,  and  through  the  understanding  of  the 
fact  that  the  law  of  Christ  supersedes  all  other  law — the 
man  of  God's  creating — "The  compound  idea  .  .  .  the 
spiritual  image  and  likeness  of  God"  {Science  and  Health, 
p.  591)  was  mentally  perceived  by  all  who  had  spiritual 
discernment  to  follow  where  Truth  was  leading. 

Our  church.  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    269 

City,  was  built  on  the  Rock,  Christ,  and  as  a  tribute  of  love 
and  gratitude  to  our  beloved  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy.  In  her 
letter  to  us,  of  November  28th,  1903,'  she  says: 

"The  letter  of  your  work  dies,  as  do  all  things  material, 
but  the  spirit  thereof  is  immortal." 

And  again, 

"The  tender  memorial  engraven  on  your  grand  edifice 
stands  for  human  self  lost  in  divine  light — melted  into  the 
radiance  of  His  likeness.  .  .  ." 

"  ...  as  truth  urges  upon  mortals  its  resisted  claims" 
{Science  and  Health,  p.  223),  the  church,  of  course,  felt  the 
upheaval,  and  the  present  chemicalization  is  the  result  of 
this  growth  Spiritward — for  all  error  must  be  uncovered  and 
destroyed  ere  the  Church  of  Prophecy — in  Mind — where 
it  has  always  stood,  can  be  revealed. 

The  present  conflict  will  but  hasten  the  time  when  the 
spiritual  consciousness,  which  is  a  "present  possibiHty" 
{Science  and  Health,  p.  574),  will  reveal  the  church  whose 
substance  is  divine  Mind,  whose  attendants  are  congregated 
ideas,  not  mortals,  but  immortals,  and  where  spiritual  law  is 
the  only  code,  Life,  Truth,  and  Love  the  government. 

Our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  tells  us,  "The  Mother  Church 
seemed  type  and  shadow  of  the  warfare  between  the  flesh 
and  Spirit,  even  that  shadow  whose  substance  is  the  divine 
Spirit,  imperatively  propelHng  the  greatest  moral,  physical, 
civil,  and  religious  reform  ever  known  on  earth"  {Pulpit 
and  Press,  p.  20).  To  be  faithful  and  loyal  all  branch 
churches  must  follow  The  Mother  Church  in  this  Hne  of 
light.  "The  day  star  of  this  appearing  is  the  light  of  Chris- 
tian Science — the  Science  which  rends  the  veil  of  the  flesh 
from  top  to  bottom"  {Miscellaneous  Writings,  p.  165). 

I  now  emphatically  deny  the  charges  in  "Count  One." 
They  are  made  from  erroneous  postulates;  therefore  the 
conclusions  are  wrong. 

"Count  Two"  shows  you  are  not  following  the  rule  laid 

» Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  vi.,  page  227. 


270     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

down  by  our  beloved  Leader.     I  therefore  deny  all  charges 
therein  contained.  .  .  . 

Mrs.  Eddy  tells  us  "The  great  miracle,  to  human  sense, 
is  divine  Love,  and  the  grand  necessity  of  existence  is  to 
gain  the  true  idea  of  what  constitutes  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  man.  This  goal  is  never  reached  while  we  hate 
our  neighbor  or  entertain  a  false  estimate  of  anyone  whom 
God  has  appointed  to  voice  His  Word"  {Science  and  Healthy 
p.  560,  line  11). 

Sincerely, 

(Signed)      Anna  A.  Holden. 

Miss  Huse's  Reply 

To  both  of  the  "  Counts "  Miss  Huse  answers 
identically: 

I  hereby  distinctly  and  finally  deny  all  charges,  from 
whatever  source,  that  I  have  been  or  can  be  "found  trying 
to  practise  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the 
denies  &\C  Statement  thereof  in  its  textbook.  Science  and 
charges  from  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures."  .  .  . 
TourcT"  '^^^   constant,    earnest   study   of   this   text- 

book, and  application  of  its  teaching  enable  me 
to  understand,  in  a  degree,  why  our  great  Leader  found  it 
necessary  to  state  on  page  457:  "Since  the  divine  light  of 
Christian  Science  first  dawned  upon  the  author,  she  has 
never  used  this  newly  discovered  power  in  any  direction 
which  she  fears  to  have  fairly  understood.  Her  prime 
object,  since  entering  this  field  of  labor,  has  been  to  prevent 
suffering,  not  to  produce  it."  As  a  Christian  Scientist,  I 
am  a  follower  of  my  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  I  recognize 
that  this  must  be  the  prime  object  of  my  life  and  work. 

I  distinctly  and  finally  deny  all  charges  from  whatever 
source,  that  I  have  worked  or  am  now  "working  mentally 
and  otherwise  against  the  interests  of  the  members  of  this 
church  who  are  not  personal  adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 
Stetson." 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint     271 

The  term  "personal  adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stet- 
son," simply  signalizes  those  among  the  members  of  The 
Mother  Church  who  have  been  taught  by  this  teacher, 
either  by  precept  or  example  or  both,  and  who  have  had 
enough  of  the  spirit  to  receive  her  high  interpretation  of 
divine  metaphysics.  I  am  grateful  for  the  privilege  of 
numbering  and  classifying  myself  among  those  of  Mrs. 
Stetson's  students  who  are  adhering  closely  to  her  teaching. 
By  so  doing  we  shall  always  be  found  blessing  all  whom 
our  thoughts  rest  upon. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Sibyl  Marvin  Huse. 
April  II,  1910. 

Miss  Colton's  Reply 

In  her  denial  of  April  12,  Miss  Colton  called  the 
Directors'  attention  to  the  absence  of  evidence  to 
sustain  the  complaints.     She  says: 

As  no  evidence  under  The  Mother  Church  Manual  has 
been  found,  given,  or  proven,  that  I  have  "been  found 
trying  to  practise  Christian  Science  contrary  to 
the  statement  thereof  in  its  textbook.    Science    ^°  evidence 

has  been 

and   Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,"  by  found. 

Mary  Baker   Eddy,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  "  ^"''^p'**'*^" 

-'  ■'  ^  .   .       ,,        are  unfounded 

admit  the  charge  or  heed  your  admonition  of  and  unjust 
October  4th,  1909.  .  .  . 

I,  Jessie  T.  Colton,  declare  these  charges,  each  and  all, 
unfounded  and  unjust,  and  because  false,  untrue,  and 
unwise,  they  must  each  and  all  be  accounted  for. 

I  declare  myself  a  true  witness,  a  Christian  Scientist 
according  to  the  Church  Manual  of  The  First  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  Boston,  Mass.,  and  therefore  obedient  to 
constituted  authority  in  their  various  jurisdictions.  .  .  . 

Miss  Ensworth's  Reply 
Miss  Antoinette  L.  Ensworth,  under  date  of  April 


272     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

13,  meets  these  "Complaints"  of  imscientific  practice 
by  quoting  "the  practice  of  divine  metaphysics  is  the 
utiHzation  of  the  power  of  Truth  over  error;  its  rules 
demonstrate  its  Science"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  III). 
She  then  continues  in  more  comprehensive  denial 
declaring: 

...  I  therefore  deny  positively  the  complaints  in  Counts 
One  and  Two  rendered  against  me  and  submitted  to  the 
Board  of  Directors  by  the  First  Reader  of  The 
wth^T-'  Mother  Church.  He  is  entertaining  a  mistaken 
Clares  charges  scnse  when  he  accuses  me  of  trying  to  practise 
poweriess  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement 
thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and  Health,  or 
of  working  mentally,  or  otherwise  against  the  interests  of 
any  one. 

I  deny  also  all  similar  charges,  from  whatsoever  source 
they  may  come.  They  are  absolutely  false,  therefore 
powerless. 

Mrs.  Freshman's  Reply 

Mrs.  Freshman  says,  objecting  to  the  form,  purport, 

and    spirit    of   the    so-called    "'Complaint* 

mande'nfes"    against   me,"    and    protesting    against    the 

every  aiie-      alleged  action  in  hearing  and  acting  on  said 

gation  «_j  <-> 

"Complaint,"  as  appears  in  the  extracts  of 
minutes  sent  to  her  with  said  "Complaint:" 

...  I  deny  each  and  every  allegation  contained  in 
said  Complaint,  and  furthermore  declare  that  the  Bible, 
Science  and  Health,  and  all  other  writings  of  my  beloved 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  as  heretofore,  will  always  be  my 
inspired  guides  to  eternal  Life. 

And  I  will  also  add  that  this  has  been  the  radical  teach- 
ing of  Augusta  E.  Stetson. 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    273 

Miss  Pearson's  Reply 

New  York  City, 
April  14,  1910. 

To  The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 
of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Sirs: — Your  communication  dated  the  4th  inst. 
is  before  me. 

...  I  can  truthfully  say  in  reply  ...  I  do 
not  "practise  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the        reaffirms 
statement  thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and      loyalty  and 

TT      1   1         •   1     t;^  .       _,      .  ,,  obedience 

Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures. 

I  do  not  "mentally"  or  "otherwise"  work  against  any 
member  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Boston, 
Mass.,  or  any  member  of  any  of  its  branch  churches. 

I  am  honestly  striving  daily  and  hourly  to  obey  the  com- 
mand of  our  Master,  "Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,"  Matthew  vii.,  12. 
Also  the  command  in  Science  and  Health  by  Mary  Baker 
Eddy,  page  447,  line  10,  "heal  the  sick  when  called  upon 
for  aid,  and  save  the  victims  of  the  mental  assassins." 

After  much  prayer  and  consideration  I  can  only  reaffirm 
what  I  have  already  stated,  viz.,  that  all  I  have  ever  heard 
said  or  taught  by  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  of  Christian 
Science,  when  rightly  understood,  is  in  strict  accord  with 
the  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Bible,  Science  and  Health, 
and  all  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  other  writings. 

Trusting  the  Board  of  Directors  will  fully  realize  the 
solemn  responsibility  resting  upon  them,  I  am. 

Sincerely, 
(Signed)    Mary  E.  Pearson. 

Miss  Pinney's  Reply 

Miss  Mary  R.  Finney  briefly  disposes  of  the  "Com- 
plaint" against  her  as  follows,  in  her  letter  of  April  14, 

to  the  Directors: 
18 


274     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  undersigned,  as  is  well  known,  is  not  guilty  of  any 
of  the  charges  which  have  been  made  against  her,  and  answer- 
ing the  complaint  denies  each  and  every  allega- 

Miss  Pinney        .  .  .  . 

is  "not  guilty  tion.  The  Bible,  Science  and  Health  with  Key 
of  any  oMhe  ^q  ^j^g  ScHptures,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  and  the 
Manual  of  The  Mother  Church,  will  always  be 
her  sufficient  guide  to  eternal  Life,  Truth,  and  Love.  Fol- 
lowing these  it  would  be  impossible  ever  to  be  disloyal  or 
disobedient  to  the  great  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  or  to 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  who  is  a  faithful,  loyal 
student  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  a  true  teacher  of  divine  meta- 
physics, which  is  Christian  Science. 

Mrs.  Greene's  Reply 

...  I  deny,  most  emphatically,  each  and  every  charge 
contained  in  the  two  counts  mentioned,  and  also  charges 

of  like  nature  coming  from  any  other  source, 
denies  every        I  reaffirm  my  instant  and  constant  allegiance 
charge  and      to  my  bclovcd  Leader,  the  Rev.  Mary  Baker 
obedience       Eddy,  and  my  loyalty   and   obedience  to   the 

teachings  of  Christian  Science  as  set  forth  in  its 
textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  and 
other  writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  the  Bible,  and  The 
Mother  Church  Manual.  .  .  . 

Taking  such  avowal  of  fidelity  at  its  word,  could  any 
cause  ask  for  more  than  the  straightforward  declaration 
and  denial  given  above?  In  all  ages  of  the  world 
loyalty  and  obedience  have  been  the  cardinal  virtues 
of  every  period  of  great  religious  advancement. 

Equally  explicit  are  the  disclaimers  contained  in  the 
following  letters. 

Reply  of  Mr.  Rowbotham 

Mr.  Rowbotham  not  only  notes  the  form  of  the 
communication,  which  lacked  the  marks  necessary  to 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    275 

show  its  validity,  but  he  also  recalls  what  the  Board  of 
Directors  seemed  to  have  forgotten,  that  as  a  student 
of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  Principal  of  the 
New  York  City  Christian  Science  Institute,  there  is 
an  institutional  relation  under  which  Mrs.  Stetson's 
teaching  work  became  incorporated  more  than  twenty 
years  ago.     Mr.  Rowbotham's  denials  read  as  follows: 

New  York  City, 
April  14,  1910. 

Gentlemen: — I  am  in  receipt  of  registered  envelope  con- 
taining two  papers,  the  only  address  being  on  envelope. 

In   one  paper,  purporting   to   be  from  Mr. 
Clifford  P.  Smith,   First   Reader,   he   submits  ,.  ^'- ^°:''"'- 

'  '  tham  questions 

complaints  against  me  and  adds  that  they  refer  motives  and 
to  offenses  concernins:  which  I  have  been  ad-  refutes 

°  charges 

monished  according  to  the  Scripture  in  Matthew 

xviii.,  15-17,  and  they  are  made  from  Christian  motives. 

I  emphatically  deny  this  statement;  also  the  assertion 
that  the  motive  is  Christian,  because  while  trying  to  answer 
Mr.  Smith's  questions,  and  explain  my  understanding  of  the 
spiritual  sense  of  God,  and  the  teachings  of  our  Leader, 
Mrs.  Eddy,  he  interrupted  me  by  saying,  "That  is  your 
Pickwickian  sense."  Such  criticism  is  not  in  accord  with 
the  spirit  of  Christian  motives.     I  say  with  St.  Paul: 

"For  our  exhortation  was  not  of  deceit,  nor  of  unclean- 
ness,  nor  in  guile: 

"  But  as  we  were  allowed  of  God  to  be  put  in  trust  with 
the  gospel,  even  so  we  speak;  not  as  pleasing  men,  but 
God,  which  trieth  our  hearts"  (i  Thess.  ii.,  3,  4). 

Mrs.  Eddy  says: 

"Abuse  of  the  motives  and  religion  of  St.  Paul  hid  from 
view  the  apostle's  character,  which  made  him  equal  to  his 
great  mission.  Persecution  of  all  who  have  spoken  some- 
thing new  and  better  of  God  has  not  only  obscured  the 
light  of  the  ages,  but  has  been  fatal  to  the  persecutors. 


276     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Why?  Because  it  has  hid  from  them  the  true  idea  which 
has  been  presented.  To  misunderstand  Paul,  was  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  divine  idea  he  taught.  Ignorance  of  the 
divine  idea  betrays  at  once  a  greater  ignorance  of  the  divine 
Principle  of  the  idea — ignorance  of  Truth  and  Love.  The 
understanding  of  Truth  and  Love,  the  Principle  which 
works  out  the  ends  of  eternal  good  and  destroys  both 
faith  in  evil  and  the  practice  of  evil,  leads  to  the  discern- 
ment of  the  divine  idea"  {Science  and  Health,  p.  560,  line  22). 

In  answer  to  "Count  One," — I  hereby  declare  that  I  am 
practising  Christian  Science  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
demands  of  its  textbook,  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to 
the  Scriptures,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy, — as  required  in 
Article  XII.,  Section  2,  of  the  Church  Manual. 

In  answer  to  "  Count  Two," — the  statement  that  I  persist 
"in  working  mentally  and  otherwise  against  the  interests  of 
the  members  of  this  church  [or  any  person  or  persons]  who 
are  not  personal  adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,"  .  .  . 
I  have  never  been,  and  am  not  now,  working  mentally  or 
otherwise  against  the  members  of  this  Church.  Mrs.  Eddy 
tells  us: 

"Whoever  practises  the  Science  the  author  teaches, 
through  which  Mind  pours  light  and  healing  upon  this 
generation,  can  practise  on  no  one  from  sinister  or  malicious 
motives  without  destroying  his  own  power  to  heal  and  his 
own  health.  Good  must  dominate  in  the  thoughts  of  the 
healer,  or  his  demonstration  is  protracted,  dangerous,  and 
impossible  in  Science.  A  wrong  motive  involves  defeat. 
In  the  Science  of  Mind-healing,  it  is  imperative  to  be  honest, 
for  victory  rests  on  the  side  of  immutable  right"  {Science 
and  Health,  p.  446,  line  11). 

Also  on  page  447,  line  i : 

"The  heavenly  law  is  broken  by  trespassing  upon  man's 
individual  right  of  self-government.  We  have  no  author- 
ity in  Christian  Science  and  no  moral  right  to  attempt  to 
influence  the  thoughts  of  others,  except  it  be  to  benefit 
them.     In  mental  practice  you  must  not  forget  that  erring 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint     277 

human  opinions,  conflicting  selfish  motives,  and  ignorant 
attempts  to  do  good  may  render  you  incapable  of  knowing 
or  judging  accurately  the  need  of  your  fellow-men.  There- 
fore the  rule  is,  heal  the  sick  when  called  upon  for  aid,  and 
save  the  victims  of  the  mental  assassins." 

I  further  absolutely  deny  that  I  am  an  "adherent"  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  in  any  "personal"  sense; 
but  I  am  a  student  and  member  in  good  standing 
of  the  New  York  City  Christian  Science  Insti-  ^^N^^Yor^k 
tute,  of  which  Mrs.  Stetson  is  the  Principal,  and  City  Christian 
which  was  incorporated  at  the  direction  of  Mrs.  institute 
Eddy  in  1891 , — and  as  such  am  striving  "to  keep 
the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace"  (Eph.  iv.,  3), 
and,  as  my  beloved  Leader  tells  me, 

"To-day  I  pray  that  divine  Love,  the  life-giving  Principle 
of  Christianity,  shall  speedily  wake  the  long  night  of 
materialism,  and  the  universal  dawn  shall  break  upon  the 
spire  of  this  temple.  The  Church,  more  than  any  other 
institution,  at  present  is  the  cement  of  society,  and  it 
should  be  the  bulwark  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  But 
the  time  cometh  when  the  religious  element,  or  Church  of 
Christ,  shall  exist  alone  in  the  affections,  and  need  no  or- 
ganization to  express  it.  Till  then,  this  form  of  godliness 
seems  as  requisite  to  manifest  its  spirit,  as  individuality 
to  express  Soul  and  substance"  {Miscellaneous  Writings, 
pp.  144,  145). 

Yours  in  Truth, 
(Signed)    Steuart  C.  Rowbotham,  C.S. 

Mrs.  Gillpatrick's  Reply 
Mrs.  Gillpatrick  declares  in  part: 

...  I  wish,  first,  to  record  my  objections  to  the  phrase- 
ology of  "Count  Two"  of  the  charges  brought  against  me, 
viz.:  working  against  those  "who  are  not  personal  ad- 
herents of"  Mrs.   Stetson.       The  issue,    so   far  as  I   am 


2'/8      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

concerned,  is  not  one  of  personality.      I    stand   for   the 
correctness  of  the  teachings  and  practice  of  Mrs.  Stetson, 

and  of  myself  as  her  student.  She  has  always 
Patrick  objects  ^^^Sht  me  that,  to  cherish  and  foster  a  false 
to  phrase-  conccpt  of  any  one  was  malpractice,  and  that 
"  Count  Two  "^   should   always   strive  to    see    the    error    as 

unreal,  but  not  omit  to  handle  the  serpent — 
the  false  claim.  .  .  . 

During  the  twelve  years  that  I  have  been  Mrs.  Stetson's 
student,  I  have  many  times  known  of  our  beloved  Leader's 

approval  of  her  work  and  that  of  her  students, 

Says  Leader 

has  approved   expressed  m  words  of  love,  warnmg,  cheer,  and 
Mrs.  stet-      encouragemcnt.     Our  gifts  have  been  graciously 

son  s  work  o  j 

accepted  and  acknowledged.  Mrs.  Stetson  has, 
in  turn,  always  practised  and  enjoined  the  most  prompt  and 
loyal  obedience  to  our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  our  church 
services  have  ever  reflected  this  spirit.  .  .  . 

Mrs.  Airman's  Reply 

In  her  letter  of  April  15,  1910,  Mrs.  Aikman  writes: 

...  In  reply  I  would  say,  concerning  "Count  One,"  I 
positively  affirm  that  I  have  not  "been  found  trying  to 
practise  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the 
Mrs.  Aikman  statement  thereof  in  its  textbook,  Science  and 
is  a  loyal  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures."  That 
follower  of       through   eamcst   and   prayerful   study   of   this 

Mary  Baker  r-      ./  -j 

Eddy  textbook,    which    healed    me    of    pronounced 

incurable  troubles  twenty-three  years  ago,  I 
have  striven  with  increasing  effort,  and  consecration  to 
practise  Christian  Science  according  to  its  teachings,  so  far 
as  I  could  interpret,  and  spiritually  understand  those 
teachings;  and  that  during  that  time  I  have  been  and  now 
am  a  loyal,  faithful  follower  of  our  beloved  Leader,  Mary 
Baker  Eddy.  For  the  past  twenty  years  my  study  of 
Christian  Science  has  been  immeasurably  aided  by  my 
teacher,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.  .  .  . 


Answers  to  Two-Count  Complaint    279 

I  therefore  again  positively  affirm  that  I  am  not  guilty 
of  the  charges  preferred  against  me  in  "Count  Two," 
namely,  that  I  persist  "in  working  mentally  and  otherwise 
against  the  interests  of  the  members  of  this  church  who 
are  not  personal  adherents  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson." 
I  wish  it  clearly  understood  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  that 
I  absolutely  and  finally  deny  these  charges,  and  protest 
against  them,  and  all  evidence  that  may  be  brought  in 
support  of  them  at  any  time. 

Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)     M.  Augusta  Airman. 

The  sequel  to  this  remarkable  series  of  letters  was 
not  disclosed  until  nearly  three  months  later, 
when  the  Clerk  of  The  Mother  Church  sent  dropped  from 
to  each  of  the  sixteen  practitioners  a  letter    ^church  rou 
of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

THE   FIRST   CHURCH   OF   CHRIST,   SCIENTIST, 

Norway,   Falmouth   and  St.  Paul  Sts. 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 

July  8,  1910 

Miss  Sybil  Marvin  Huse 
New  York  City 
Dear  Miss  Huse:  This  is  to  advise  you  that  your  name 
has  this  day  been  dropped  from  the  membership  roll  of 
The  Mother  Church,  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore. 

Clerk. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

SO-CALLED  "ADMONITIONS"  BY  THE  FIRST 
READER  OF  THE  MOTHER  CHURCH  TO  THE 
NEW  YORK  TRUSTEES  COMPRISING  THE 
COMMITTEE  OF  INQUIRY 

During  December,  1909,  the  First  Reader  of  The 
Mother  Church,  Judge  Clifford  P.  Smith,  called  upon 
those  members  of  the  New  York  Board  of 
of  members  of  Trustccs  who  had  participated  in  rendering 
S*"^"^*  °'  ^^®  Report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry, 
vindicating  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D., 
which  vindication  was  confirmed  by  the  New  York 
church.  The  purpose  of  his  call  was  as  stated  in  the 
following  letter  to  admonish  each  of  them. 

The  action,  in  our  judgment,  was  without  warrant 
of  fact  or  law  and  without  any  justification  under  the 
Manual  of  The  Mother  Church.  The  result  of  this 
attempt  on  his  part  is  set  forth  in  the  interviews 
hereafter  related. 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST   CHURCH   OF   CHRIST,   SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  and  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 
Office  of  the 

Secretary 

December  23,  1909 
Mr.  .  .  . 

New  York  City. 
My  dear  Mr.  .  .  .   : — It  appears  to  have  become  neces- 
sary for  me  as  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church  to 

280 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  281 

admonish  you,  as  required  by  its  By-laws.  I  will  be  in 
New  York  City  next  Monday  and  Tuesday  and  wish  to 
see  you  during  that  time  for  this  purpose.  If  you  wish  to 
appoint  a  time  and  place  for  the  interview,  I  shall  be  glad 
to  accept  your  convenience ;  and  if  you  prefer  to  call  on  me, 
I  will  receive  you  at  the  Manhattan  Hotel,  or  at  the  office 
of  the  Christian  Science  Monitor,  Room  2092,  Metropolitan 
Building.  A  note  addressed  to  me  at  either  place  will 
reach  me. 

Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Clifford  P.  Smith. 
First  Reader  of  The  First   Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

This  letter  was  addressed  to  the  following  seven 
Trustees  then  in  office: 
Edwin  F.  Hatfield, 

John  Franklin  Crowell, 
Mrs.  Isabelle  C.  Dam, 
Joseph  B.  Whitney, 
Adolph  Rusch, 

William  H.  Taylor, 
John  D.  Higgins. 
These  Trustees  now  singled  out  for  "admonition" 
were  the  same  persons  whom  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church  called  upon  in  their  letter  of 
October  4,  1909,  to  "make  your  own  investigation 
and  act  without  fear  or  favor,"  and  who  had  so 
done.  Within  the  next  few  days  the  interviews  pro- 
posed in  the  foregoing  notice  of  December  23,  were 
held. 

The  interviews  were  held  with  each  Trustee  sepa- 
rately at  different  times  and  places,  and  were  begun  by 
either  the  First  Reader's  reading  or  handing  to  each 
one  an  identical  letter  of  "admonition,"  on  several  of 


282     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

which  one  or  more  of  the  specifications  had  been  can- 
celled before  being  handed  to  the  recipient.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  "admonitory"  letter  and  communication 
then  used  as  hereafter  set  forth. 

New  York,  December  27,  1909. 
Mr.  .  .  . 

New  York  City. 
My  dear  Mr.  .  .  .   : — During  the  last  few  months  you 
have  had  a  special  opportunity  either  to  serve  the  cause 
of  Christian  Science  or  to  work  against  it.     Dur- 

An  "admom- 

tory  "  letter  lug  this  crucial  pcfiod  the  right  course  for  you 
of  unfounded  ^q  pursue  may  not  always  have  been  clear  to  you, 

assumptions 

because  you  had  become  accustomed  to  accept 
the  directions  of  one  who  was  your  teacher  and  who  had 
herself  strayed  from  the  way  of  Christian  Science.  Endeav- 
oring to  make  all  due  allowances,  I  am  nevertheless  con- 
strained to  believe  from  the  evidence  furnished  by  your 
works  that  you  have  greatly  neglected  your  duty  to  God, 
to  our  Leader  and  to  mankind. 

As  the  First  Reader  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  having  the  duty  to  enforce 
its  discipline  and  by-laws,  I  therefore  admonish  you  as 
follows : 

1 .  To  stop  asserting  and  maintaining  as  genuine  Chris- 
tian Science  the  false  teaching  and  practice  of  Mrs.  Augusta 
E.  Stetson; 

2.  To  correct  your  attitude  and  conduct  toward  those 
members  of  The  Mother  Church  who  do  not  accept  the 
teaching  of  Mrs.  Stetson; 

3.  To  correct  your  attitude  and  conduct  toward  The 
Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors. 

4.  To  discontinue  aiding  and  abetting  Mrs.  Stetson 
and  her  followers  in  their  misrepresentation  of  our  Leader, 
Mrs.  Eddy,  their  misinterpretation  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  letters 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  283 

and  writings,  and  their  opposition  to  The  Mother  Church 
and  its  officers. 

5.  To  desist  from  working  against  the  interests  of  the 
loyal  members  of  The  Mother  Church  and  the  accomplish- 
ment of  what  our  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  has  defined  in  her 
writings  to  be  advantageous  to  this  Church  and  the  Cause 
of  Christian  Science. 

Hoping  that  you  will  heed  and  accept  these  admonitions, 
I  am, 

Sincerely  yours, 

(Signed)     Clifford  P.  Smith, 

First  Reader. 

It  is  here  to  be  carefully  noted  that  inasmuch  as  each 
of  those  thus  "admonished"  was  a  member  of  a  branch 
church,  and  was  not  charged  with  mental  malpractice, 
this  action  of  the  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church 
was  in  direct  violation  of  Article  XL,  Section  6,  of 
The  Mother  Church  Manual,  which  we  quote  in 
full: 

Article  XL  Members  in  Mother  Church  Only.  Sect,  6. 
A  complaint  against  a  member  of  The  Mother  Church,  if 
said  member  belongs  to  no  branch  church  and  if  this  complaint 
is  not  for  mental  malpractice,  shall  be  laid  before  this  Board, 
and  within  ten  days  thereafter,  the  Clerk  of  the  Church 
shall  address  a  letter  of  inquiry  to  the  member  complained 
of  as  to  the  validity  of  the  charge.  If  a  member  is  found 
guilty  of  that  whereof  he  is  accused  and  his  previous  charac- 
ter has  been  good,  his  confession  of  his  error  and  evidence 
of  his  compliance  with  our  Church  Rules  shall  be  deemed 
sufficient  by  the  Board  for  forgiveness  for  once,  and  the 
Clerk  of  the  Church  shall  immediately  so  inform  him.  But 
a  second  offense  shall  dismiss  a  member  from  the 
Church. 


284     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  further  fact  that  Judge  Smith  stated  plainly  to 
Joseph  B.  Whitney,  it  was  in  their  position  as  Trustees 
Does  First  that  he  felt  they  were  wrong,  as  individuals. 
Reader  of  e^c.,  makes  it  evident  that  he  also  violated 
Church  violate  that  part  of  Article  XXIII. ,  Section  10,  of 
Manual?        r^^^  MothcF  ChuTch  Mauual  which  reads: 

In  Christian  Science  each  branch  church  shall  be  distinctly 
democratic  in  its  government,  and  no  individual,  and  no 
other  church  shall  interfere  with  its  affairs. 

The  five  items  of  the  above  "admonition"  may  be 

condensed  into  the  double  injunction  "to  drop  Mrs. 

Stetson,"    a    student    and    for    twenty-five 

A  demand  .    .  -i         -»  t 

"  to  drop  years  a  teacher  and  practitioner  under  Mary 
Mrs.  stetson  "g^j^gj.  j^^^^^y'g  personal  direction  and  ap- 
proval, and  endorse  the  Directors,  but  two  of  whom — 
viz.,  Ira  O.  Knapp  and  Stephen  A.  Chase,  were  ever 
students  of  Mrs.  Eddy. 

' '  Admonition  ' '  Analyzed 

Item  I.  Item  I  is  based  on  a  wrong  premise,  and  for 
the  New  York  Trustees  to  have  attempted  to 
follow  such  an  "  admonition"  would  have  been  to 
surrender  their  right,  not  only  of  individual  inter- 
pretation of  the  Bible,  and  the  writings  of  Mary 
Baker  Eddy,  but  to  have  stultified  their  convictions 
based  in  some  cases  on  over  twenty-four  years  of 
experience  and  association  with  their  teacher, 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  and  to  have  surren- 
dered their  individuality. 

Item  II.  No  proof  was,  nor  could  be  produced  that 
would  warrant  any  "admonition,"  "To  correct 
your  attitude  and  conduct  toward  those  members 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry   285 

of  The  Mother  Church  who  do  not  accept  the 
teaching  of  Mrs.  Stetson." 

Item  III.  The  attitude  of  every  one  of  the  New  York 
Trustees  towards  the  Christian  Science  Board  of 
Directors  at  Boston  is  well  set  forth  in  the  follow- 
ing statement  made  to  Clifford  P.  Smith,  by  Wil- 
liam H.  Taylor  (one  of  the  Trustees)  on  December 
2^],  1909.  "Mrs.  Stetson  has  taught  me  that  it 
was  my  duty  to  stand  by  The  Mother  Church,  to 
stand  by  our  own  church,  to  see  every  one  as 
God's  idea  no  matter  whether  they  seemed  to 
differ  or  not,  and  to  reflect  all  the  love  possible  to 
every  member  of  the  church  and,  if  I  held  any 
malice,  or  anger,  or  hate  toward  the  Directors  of 
The  Mother  Church,  or  toward  any  member  of 
our  own  church,  it  would  react  upon  myself  and 
I  would  be  the  one  to  suffer." 

Item  IV.  In  the  Fourth  Item  the  question  of  inter- 
pretation was  raised,  as  if  there  were  no  latitude  for 
individual  interpretation  of  the  Leader's  writings. 
Here  again  there  was  no  quotation  of  what  part 
of  the  writings,  teachings,  letters,  or  whatsoever 
it  was  claimed  to  have  been  misinterpreted  or 
misrepresented.  It  was  all  assumption  and  no 
specifications. 

Item  V.  Finally,  in  the  Fifth  Item,  the  Trustees  were 
"admonished"  "To  desist  from  working  against 
the  interests  of  the  loyal  members  of  The  Mother 
Church,"  etc.  When  it  came  to  questioning 
Judge  Smith  as  to  the  time,  place,  and  circum- 
stances to  which  these  official  claims  of  his  applied, 
he  failed  to  sustain  his  allegations.  In  the  case 
of  Mr.  Joseph  B.  Whitney,  each  "Item"  was  gone 
over  separately  and  the  absence  of  fact  shown. 


286     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

As  a  result  of  this  test,  in  which  insistence  upon 
proof  of  specific  deUnquency  was  demanded,  Mr. 
Whitney  states:  "Judge  Smith  said  that  he  had 
no  special  charges  to  press  against  me  individually 
as  separate  from  my  membership  as  one  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  Board.  He  also  said  that  these 
'admonitions'  as  a  whole  expressed  the  attitude 
of  all  the  Directors,  and  concluded  by  saying,  when 
asked  to  specify :  '  I  cannot  form  it  into  a  phrase, 
and  you  must  take  the  whole  paper  as  the  basis  of 
the  charge,  which  is  not  so  much  for  the  past  as 
the  future.' " 

Note  the  fact:  no  definite  complaint,  and  no 
definite  cause  for  complaint;  only  a  warning  for 
the  futiue!  The  above  statement  was  written 
down  in  Judge  Smith's  presence,  read  over  to 
him,  and  admitted  by  him  to  be  correct.  The 
following  parallel  gives  the  resulting  contrasts: 


Judge  Smith's 
"Admonition" 


Mr.  Whitney's 
Refutation 


1.  To  stop  asserting  and 
maintaining  as  genuine 
Christian  Science  the  false 
teaching  and  practice  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson. 

2.  To  correct  your  atti- 
tude and  conduct  toward 
those  members  of  The 
Mother  Church  who  do 
not  accept  the  teaching  of 
Mrs.  Stetson. 


Mr.  Whitney  said,  "  I 
must  interpret  according  to 
my  understanding  of  Science 
and  Health,  and  cannot  ac- 
cept the  interpretation  of 
another." 

To  this  "admonition" 
Judge  Smith  actually  had 
no  fact  whatever  to  sustain 
it,  and  passed  it  as  being 
without  foundation. 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  287 


3.  To  correct  your  atti- 
tude and  conduct  toward  the 
Christian  Science  Board  of 
Directors. 

4.  To  discontinue  aiding 
and  abetting  Mrs.  Stetson 
and  her  followers  in  their 
misrepresentations  of  our 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy;  their 
misrepresentations  of  Mrs. 
Eddy's  letters  and  writings, 
and  their  opposition  to  The 
Mother  Church  and  its 
officers. 

5.  To  desist  from  work- 
ing against  the  interests  of 
the  loyal  members  of  The 
Mother  Church  and  the  ac- 
complishment of  what  our 
Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  has  de- 
fined in  her  writings  to 
be  "advantageous  to  this 
Church  and  to  the  Cause  of 
Christian  Science."  [Man- 
ual, Art.  xi.,  Sect.  7.] 


Mr.  Whitney  disagreed 
with  Judge  Smith,  that  he 
had  been,  or  was  then,  wrong 
in  his  attitude  and  conduct. 

To  this  "admonition" 
Judge  Smith  was  not  able 
to  cite  any  special  proof,  and 
upon  these  claims  being  posi- 
tively denied,  Judge  Smith 
said,"  We  will  pass  that  also." 


As  if  to  make  a  final  stand 
on  the  5th  "admonition," 
the  First  Reader  held  this 
to  contain  the  gist  of  all  the 
accusations.  When  pressed 
to  specify,  his  reply  was,  as 
quoted  above ;  that  he  could 
not  form  the  accusations 
into  a  phrase,  and  that  the 
whole  "  admonition"  in  these 
five  items  should  be  accepted 
as  the  basis  of  a  charge, 
in  the  nature  of  a  warning 
not  so  much  against  what 
had  been  done,  as  to  what 
might  be  done  in  the  future. 

The  interview  with  Mr.  Joseph  B.  Whitney  on 
December  29,  1909,  extended  from  10  A.M.  interview  with 
to  1:15  P.M.  In  describing  what  occurred  ^°  **°^^ 
on  that  occasion,  Mr.  Whitney  recorded  the  following 
immediately  afterwards : 


288      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

The  whole  burden  of  Judge  Smith's  "admonition"  was 
the  charge  that  we  were  aiding  and  abetting  Mrs.  Stetson 
in  opposition  to  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother 
Church  by  our  "Findings"  in  opposition  to  theirs;  in  not 
forwarding  Miss  Ensworth's  and  Miss  Colton's  testimony 
when  requested;  by  pubHshing  our  letter  of  regret  and 
endorsement  of  Mrs.  Stetson  at  the  time  of  our  accepting 
her  resignation  from  the  church  and  Board  of  Trustees;  by 
sending  out  Col.  Dean's  letter,  and  by  our  general  attitude 
toward  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  since 
the  time  that  we  first  went  to  Boston  in  September,  1909, 
and  up  to  the  present  time,  December  29,  1909. 

He  denied  my  right  in  my  capacity  as  a  Trustee  to  endorse 
my  faith  and  confidence  in  Mrs.  Stetson  and  the  correct- 
Denial  of  '^^^^  °^  ^^^  teaching  and  interpretation  of  Science 
individual  and  Health  and  Mrs.  Eddy's  other  works,  in 
"^  '^  opposition  to  the  decision  of  the  Board  of  Direc- 

tors of  The  Mother  Church.  That  Mrs.  Eddy,  in  Article 
XII.,  Sections  i  and  2,  of  the  Manual  had  delegated  the 
right  to  interpret  what  was  correct  teaching  of  Christian 
Science  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  and  I  had  no  right  to  act 
in  my  capacity  as  a  Trustee  contrary  thereto.  That  in  so 
doing,  I  brought  ridicule  and  discredit  upon  the  Board  of 
Directors,  by  setting  them  at  defiance,  and  thus  would  be 
likely  to  destroy  the  benefit  of  Christian  Science  to  the 
world  for  a  generation,  a  thing  that  Mrs.  Eddy  has  said  in 
the  Manual  was  an  offense  worthy  of  the  severest  criticism, 
or  something  to  that  effect. 

I  suppose  he  referred  to  Article  XI.,  Section  7,  "Working 
Against  the  Cause."  I  asked  him  to  formulate  this  into  a 
sentence,  and  after  starting  to  do  so,  he  said  he  did  not  think 
he  could  do  it  satisfactorily,  but  that  I  might  take  the 
whole  paper  as  the  basis  of  "admonition,"  etc.,  etc.  He 
said  I  was  not  to  take  the  "admonition"  so  much  as  relat- 
ing to  what  had  occurred  in  the  oast,  but  more  to  govern 
myself  in  future  conduct,  and  to  take  the  paper  as  a  whole, 
and  to  change  my  attitude  toward  the  Board  of  Directors 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  289 

of  The  Mother  Church,  as  they  were  the  supreme  authority 
in  the  Church,  and  were  so  constituted  by  Mrs.  Eddy. 

I  said:  "Suppose  it  should  happen — and  this  is  a  suppo- 
sitional case,— that  we  should  disagree  as  to  some  inter- 
pretations, and  I  should  force  myself  to  accept  yours  and 
to  give  up  my  own  conscientious  convictions  of  what  was 
right,  and  it  should  afterwards  turn  out  that  your  views 
were  wrong  and  mine  were  right,  what  respect  do  you  think 
I  would  have  for  myself?"  He  said:  "Yes,  that  is  all 
right  regarding  yourself,  but  you  should  not  give  it  out  to 
the  world  as  a  Trustee  in  opposition  to  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors of  The  Mother  Church,  and  thereby  bring  disrespect 
and  ridicule  upon  the  whole  society,  as  you  have  done  by 
publishing  your  endorsement  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and  her 
teaching  after  she  had  been  excommunicated  (he  used  this 
word)  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church." 
I  replied  that  there  was  no  such  intention  in  anything  that 
we  did.  We  acted  up  to  our  highest  understanding  of  what 
was  right,  in  recognizing  the  work  that  Mrs.  Stetson  had 
done  here:  that  she  had  never  taught  me  wrong,  so  far  as 
I  knew,  neither  did  the  testimony  that  we  took  in  the  "In- 
quiry" indicate  to  me  that  she  had;  that  I  had  been  con- 
scientious in  all  that  I  had  done,  and  that  no  man  could  do 
more. 

On  the  question  of  the  right  to  individual  interpreta- 
tion of  the  religious  teachings  of  the  Bible,  or  of  Mrs. 
Eddy's  writings,  and  on  other  matters  in  the  procedure 
of  the  New  York  Committee  of  Inquiry,  Mr.  Whitney 
states  that  the  following  colloquy  occiirred  between 
him  and  Judge  Smith: 

Mr.  Whitney:  I  would  not  delegate  my  individual 
right  to  decide  a  question  of  what  was  right  and 
what  was  wrong  to  any  man,  and  could  be 
governed  only  by  my  own  conscience  as  to  the 

19 


290     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

meaning  or  interpretation  of  any  sentence  in 
Science  and  Health  or  any  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  writ- 
ings, or  the  Bible,  where  there  was  a  doubtful 
meaning,  or  two  or  more  interpretations  could 
be  given. 

Judge  Smith  :     Conscience  is  a  doubtful  word. 

Mr.  Whitney:  I  should  rather  say  conscience  is 
your  highest  God-given  understanding.  I  use 
it  in  that  sense. 

Judge  Smith:     Then  we  are  a  unit  in  that  respect, 

The  offense     but  you  had  no  right  to  send  those  pamphlets 

of  publicity     ^£  your  dccision  broadcast  over  the  land. 

Mr.  Whitney:  We  did  not,  we  sent  them  only  to 
the  church  members. 

Judge  Smith  :  Then  why  did  you  have  four  or  five 
thousand  printed? 

Mr.  Whitney:  We  thought  at  first  we  should  send 
them  to  our  friends  everywhere,  and  left  it  to  a 
committee  to  have  them  printed;  but  decided 
afterwards  to  limit  them  to  the  church  members, 
and  so  informed  the  people  who  were  sending 
them  out. 

Judge  Smith  :  I  commend  you  for  that,  but  how  did 
they  get  to  California  and  Mexico,  even  Canada 
and  Europe? 

Mr.  Whitney:  I  do  not  know.  If  individuals  sent 
them  to  their  friends,  we  could  not  prevent  it. 

Judge  Smith:  Well,  we  have  heard  from  it  every- 
where, commenting  upon  it  and  bringing  ridicule 
and  discredit  upon  the  Board  of  Directors. 

Mr.  Whitney:  I  did  not  know  anything  about  that, 
as  I  had  not  seen  any  of  the  comments. 

Judge  Smith  :  We  take  clippings  from  an  agency  and 
we  have  received  over  a  bushel  of  clippings  from 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  291 

all  parts  of  the  world  in  regard  to  it.  That 
letter  of  Col.  Dean's,  why  did  you  send  that 
out? 

Mr.  Whitney:    We  did  not  send  it  out. 

Judge  Smith:    Who  did  it? 

Mr.  Whitney:    I  do  not  know. 

Judge  Smith:     Have  you  not  seen  it? 

Mr.  Whitney  :  Oh  yes,  I  received  a  copy  of  it  through 
the  mail,  but  that  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  it. 

Judge  Smith  :  We  get  clippings  commenting  upon  that 
from  everywhere,  just  the  same  as  we  did  on 
your  "Report."  Why  did  you  give 
out  your  letter  to  Mrs.  Stetson  at  iTtter^o 
the  time  of  accepting  her  resigna-  ^^^-  stetson 
tion  as  a  Trustee?  That  was  a 
direct  slap  at  the  Directors. 

Mr.  Whitney:  I  did  not  so  understand  or  consider 
it;  we  said  just  what  we  felt,  and  that  was  all 
any  man  could  do. 

Judge  Smith  :    Well,  you  need  not  have  given  that  out. 

Mr.  Whitney:  I  felt  that  it  was  due  her,  in  justice 
for  what  she  had  done. 

Judge  Smith  :  You  had  no  right  to  do  it.  Why  did 
you  not  send  on  the  copies  of  Miss  Ensworth's 
and  Miss  Colton's  testimony  when  I  wrote  for 
them? 

Mr.  Whitney:  They  were  given  in  confidence,  and 
we  referred  it  to  our  counsel  as  to  our  right  to 
do  so  in  justice  under  the  circumstances. 

Referring  to  the  refusal  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  The  Mother  Church  to  grant  the  New  York  Trustees 
the  privilege  of  a  copy  of  the  testimony  of  the  New  York 
practitioners  taken  at  Boston,  Mr.  Whitney  further- 


292     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

more  states  that  he  said,  "As  to  Miss  Ensworth's  and 
Miss  Colton's  testimony,  I  felt  that  if  any  were  to  be 
given  over,  I  thought  all  should  be  given  by  each  side 
to  the  other:  that  a  fair  judgment  of  the  situation  could 
not  be  determined  by  any  one  individual  testimony. 
Judge  Smith  then  said:  'There  you  go  again!  That  is 
the  way  with  all  the  Stetsonites.  You  think  you  have 
equal  rights  with  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The 
Mother  Church  in  deciding  all  such  matters. '  Judge 
Smith  further  said,  that  it  was  in  our  position  as  Trus- 

Nothin  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^®  ^^^^  ^®  were  wrong.     As  indi- 

against  Trus-  viduals  hc  thought  wc  wcrc  all  men  of  high 
all/  '  '  character,  and  he  had  nothing  against  us: 
that  he  had  nothing  against  me  personally. 
As  no  complaints  had  been  made,  and  it  was  only 
for  my  actions  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
that  he  wished  to  admonish  me,  etc." 

Judge  Smith  advanced  rather  peculiar  views  as  to 
what  the  Committee  of  Inquiry  should  have  done. 
He  said,  according  to  Mr,  Whitney's  record,  it  should 
have  supported  Mr.  Strickler  and  called  in  those  who 
had  testified  against  Mrs.  Stetson.  Mr.  Whitney 
replied,  "We  asked  each  person  if  he  had  the  names  of 
any  persons  to  give  us  who  had  any  charges  to  bring, 
or  could  give  us  any  further  information  in  regard  to 
the  practice  and  conditions  existing  in  our  church, 
and  no  one  gave  us  any  additional  names,  neither  did 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church,  when 
we  inquired  of  them,  nor  did  they  allow  us  to  see 
the  testimony  they  took.  We  examined  every  prac- 
titioner, except  Harry  Fink,  who  was  absent  from  the 
city." 

The  interview  concluded  by  Judge  Smith  inviting 
Mr.  Whitney  to  go  to  Boston  and  see  the  Directors. 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  293 
Interview  with  Mr.  Hatfield 

Mr.  Hatfield  makes  the  following  statement  regarding 
Judge  Smith's  interview  with  him  on  Decern-  ^r.  Hatfield's 

ber  28,  1909:  statement 

He  read  his  "admonition"  as  to  our  Trustees'  attitude 
towards  The  Mother  Church,  and  stated  that  our  acts  did 
not  indicate  obedience  to  their  decisions  as  to  Mrs. 
Stetson,  but  directly  contrary  thereto  in  our  "Resolu- 
tions" commending  Mrs.  Stetson;  also,  in  not  acting 
to  see  that  the  Sunday  School  children  were  not 
taught  by  those  who  believed  as  Mrs.  Stetson  did,  also  by 
our  not  sending  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  as  requested, 
the  testimonies  of  Miss  Ensworth  and  Miss  Colton  before 
our  Committee  of  Inquiry. 

He  claimed  that  we  could  not  decline  their  request,  but 
must  obey  them  absolutely.  He  said  that  if  we  thought 
Mrs.  Stetson  had  been  taught  by  Mrs.  Eddy  to  do  what 
they  had  condemned,  as  she  claims,  we  were  misrepresent- 
ing Mrs.  Eddy.  That  Mrs.  Eddy  says  she  has  never  taught 
privately  anything  different  from  her  public  utterances.' 

He  affirmed  that  it  is  never  right  to  speak  to  the  person, 
mentioning  their  names,  in  self-defense;  that  it  was  mal- 
practice, if  without  their  consent. 

When  asked  if  there  were  no  room  in  Christian  Science 
for  the  law  of  love  and  loyalty  to  a  teacher  who  had  been 
the  channel  through  whom  we  had  learned  the 
beauty  and  power  of  its  beneficent  ministry,  he  °  lovra'nd 
replied  that  no  other  teacher's  students  talked  loyalty  to 
that  way,  for  that  was  her  personality  separating  teachers 
us  from  Principle. 

When  told  that  the  writers  of  what  is  known  as  the 
"Composite  Letter"  had  no  idea  of  deifying  uo  ..(jeifica- 
Mrs.  Stetson,  he  said  then  Mrs.  Eddy  was  wrong  tion  " 

in  rebuking  Mrs.  Stetson. 

•  See  page  368. 


294      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 
Interview  with  Mr.  Taylor 

The  most  extended  interview  by  Judge  Clifford  P. 
Smith,  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church,  was  that 
Mr.  Taylor's  with  Mr.  William  H.  Taylor,  on  December 
account  27,  1909,  at  the  latter's  office  in  New  York 
City.  At  this  interview  the  Directors'  position  as  to 
the  alleged  falsity  of  the  teaching  and  the  practice  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson  was  gone  into  rather  fully.  In 
answer  to  the  direct  question  by  Mr.  Taylor,  "Wherein 
were  the  teaching  and  practice  of  Mrs.  Augusta  E. 
Stetson  false?"  Judge  Smith  answered:  "The  first 
basic  error  is  that  she  puts  herself  between  her  students 
and  God,  and,  as  a  noticeable  instance  of  this,  she  is 
quoted  as  having  said  at  a  Thanksgiving  service  in 
1908,  'We  are  journeying  onward, — your  hands  are 
in  mine  and  mine  in  God's. '  That  a  number  of  people 
were  so  shocked  at  this  statement  that  they  wrote  it 
down  at  the  time." 

Mrs.  Stetson  having  been  charged  with  wrong  teach- 
ing in  "  the  application  of  Christian  Science  to  human 
Unable  to  ex-  nccds  and  conditions,"  Mr.  Taylor  asked 
plain  charge  what  this  meant,  stating  to  Judge  Smith 
that  Virgil  O.  Strickler  during  the  "Inquiry"  had  been 
asked  as  to  the  meaning  of  it  and  he  said  he  did  not 
understand  what  was  meant.  Judge  Smith  was  imable 
to  explain  what  it  meant  further  than  to  say  that  it 
was  a  "matter  of  balance." 

He  stated,  as  his  personal  view,  however,  that  "Mrs. 
Stetson  teaches  her  students  to  act  and  speak  as  though 
they  were  not  human  beings  but  divine  ideas.  I  think 
that  the  effect  in  many  cases  is  to  produce  hypocrisy 
and  self-deception,  which  has  a  bad  moral  effect  upon 
the  student  and  hinders  demonstration  of  Christian 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  295 

Science, — or  rather  the  appHcation  of  Christian  Science 
to  human  needs." 

On  neariy  every  page  of  the  Christian  Science  text- 
book the  divinity  of  man  is  persistently  urged,  nor  can 
it  be  shown  anywhere  that  Mrs.  Stetson,  or  Man  is 

her  students,  ignore  the  human.  It  was  God's  idea 
true  that  she  taught  the  divinity  of  man  as  supreme, 
and  immortahty  as  the  only  verity  of  the  universe, 
including  individual  man.  It  is  also  true  that  because 
of  the  purity  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  and  practice, 
both  she  and  her  students  have  demonstrated  the 
power  of  the  Christ-mind  to  "meet  every  human  need" 
{Science  and  Health,  p.  494). 

Judge  Smith  further  explained  that  the  fault  found 
with  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  and  practice  jg  jj  rig^t  t,, 
was  that  of  treating  persons  by  name.  He  ""^e  names » ? 
went  so  far  as  to  say,  "I  do  not  think  it  is  necessary 
to  even  use  a  patient's  name  in  treating." 

Did  Jesus  malpractice  when  he  said,  "Lazarus,  come 
forth ' '  ?  Did  Peter  malpractice  when  he  said,  ' '  Tabitha, 
arise"?     Did  Jesus  malpractice  when  he  used  jesus' 

Peter's  name,  saying,  "Thou  art  Peter,"  or  example 
when  he  said,  "Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
hypocrites  "  ?  This  would  appear  to  be  divine  authority 
for  using  names. 

Mr.  Taylor  further  states  as  follows: 

Judge  Smith  held  radically  different  views  from  the  New 
York  Trustees  as  to  the  relations  between  The  Mother 
Church  and  the  branch  churches.  Judge  Smith  c^ujch  mem- 
brought  out  the  point  that  a  relative  of  his  in  bership  and 
Pittsburgh  refused  to  join  the  beautiful  church  residence 
there  but  insisted  on  maintaining  membership  in  First 
Church  of  New  York.  That  this  was  contrary  to  Principle; 
that  there  was  a  Mother  Church,  and  the  party  should  not 


296      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

live  in  one  place  and  belong  to  a  branch  church  in  another 
place.  I  then  asked  him  why  there  was  not  a  By-Law  to 
that  effect — he  said,  they  had  tried  to  frame  a  By-Law  to 
cover  that  situation  but  were  unable  to  do  so  as  there  were 
many  times  when  it  would  seem  proper  such  a  condition 
shovdd  exist.  I  told  him  that  that  was  an  individual  ques- 
tion and  that  I  would  not  presume  to  judge  lest  I  did  so 
erroneously. 

In   response  to  my  question  as  to  his  third  "  admo- 
nition," "To  correct  your  attitude  and  conduct  toward 
.  ^     The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors,"  Judge 

Ignores  rights  lu^r-i  •  •     ^       o 

of  branch  bmith  Stated,  You  do  not  recognize  the  proper 
churches  un-   relation  of  The  Mother  Church  Board  of  Di- 

der  Manual  it-. 

rectors  over  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  branch 
churches.  That,"  continued  Judge  Smith,  "was  a  relation 
implied  between  the  greater  and  the  lesser;  that  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  branch  churches  must  respond  to  any  request 
of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church."  On 
this  I  took  a  square  issue  with  Judge  Smith,  stating  that 
in  so  far  as  the  Board  of  Directors  acted  within  the  consti- 
tution, which  both  Judge  Smith  and  myself  agreed  was  the 
Manual  of  The  Mother  Church,  we  would  always  promptly 
obey. 

A  vital  point  in  the  First  Reader's  interview  was  the 

claim,  "That  it  was  thought  by  many  people  that  the  Board 

of  Trustees  of  this  church  had  been  making  a 

No  such         record  which   Mrs.   Stetson  could  use  at  any 

move  contem-  .  .  ,        -r>  1       r    -i-n-  r 

plated  at  that  futurc  time  agamst  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
time,  but  later  The  Mother  Church,  and  that  it  was  done  for 

was  found  r        •  1  •  tv  «■  r-v  •  1  • 

necessary  the  purposc  of  aiding  Mrs.  Stetson  m  this 
respect."  I  told  him  that  the  record  was  a 
statement  of  facts;  that  there  was  no  such  thought  in  the 
mind  of  any  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  I  asked 
him  whether  he  really  thought  that  Mrs.  Stetson  had  any 
such  idea  in  view ;  that  I  wanted  to  tell  him  that  under  the 
existing  situation  Mrs.  Stetson  had  told  me  that  it  was  my 
duty  to  stand  by  The  Mother  Church ;  to  stand  by  our  own 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  297 

church,  and  to  see  every  one  as  God's  idea,  no  matter 
whether  they  seemed  to  differ  or  not,  and  to  reflect  all  the 
love  possible  to  every  member  of  the  church;  that  if  I  held 
any  malice  or  anger  or  hate  toward  the  Directors  of  The 
Mother  Church,  or  toward  any  member  of  our  own  church, 
it  would  react  upon  myself,  and  I  would  be  the  one  to 
suffer. 

This  throws  some  light  on  what  Mrs.  Stetson's  actual 
advice  was  to  those  who  were  on  the  same  official 
Board  with  her. 

The  interview  closes  with  Judge  Smith  stating  that 
he  was  glad  to  have  seen  Mr.  Taylor;  that  they  knew 
each  other  better;  that  after  Mr.  Taylor's  explanation 
of  the  letter  to  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  of  other  things,  he 
saw  things  in  a  different  light. 

The  interview  lasted  from  2:45  to  6:15  p.m. 

Interview  with  Mr.  Higgins 

Mr.  John  D.  Higgins  gave  the  following  report  of 
his  interview  with  Judge  Smith,  on  December  Mr.  ffiggins* 
28,  1909:  """""^ 

Judge  Smith  said:  "Are  you  not  now  making  or  tamper- 
ing with  the  records  of  your  proceedings?"  I  replied, 
"No,  the  record  is  made  and  completed."  Judge  Smith 
said,  it  was  suggested  that  we  were  deliberately  making 
a  record  favorable  to  Mrs.  Stetson,  so  that  when  Mrs 
Eddy  died,  she  (Mrs.  Stetson)  might  be  fortified  to  in- 
stitute an  independent  movement,  tending  to  substantiate 
her  claims.  Judge  Smith  again  came  back  to  this  ques- 
tion in  his  interview  with  me,  when  he  brought  up  the 
matter  of  Miss  Ensworth's  and  Miss  Colton's  testimony. 
He  (Judge  Smith)  particularly  stated  there  Desired  to 
that  what  he  wanted  with  Miss  Colton's  testi-  suppress 
mony  was,  "to  suppress  it,  so  that  there  would  testimony 
not  be  extant  any  misrepresentations  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  state- 


298     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

ments  or  teachings  that  might  be  promulgated  when  she 
[Mrs.  Eddy]  was  not  here  to  review  them." 

Miss  Colton's  testimony  referred  to  her  residence  at 
Pleasant  View,  during  which  time  the  Leader  on  different 
occasions  referred,  approvingly,  to  Mrs.  Stetson  as  a  favorite 
student,  and  in  other  complimentary  ways.  At  the  con- 
clusion of  the  interview,  he  asked  me  to  come  and  see  him 
when  in  Boston — that  he  was  most  of  the  time  at  the  Pub- 
lishing House.  He  had  previously  asked  me  to  take  dinner 
with  him,  which  I  had  to  decline  on  account  of  getting 
ready  to  leave  town. 

Interview  with  Dr.  Crowell 

Another  of  the  "admonitions"  to  the  New  York 
Trustees  occurred  in  the  interview  between  Judge 
Dr.  croweii's  Clifford  P.  Smith  and  Dr.  John  Franklin 
statement  Crowell,  in  the  first  week  of  1910.  When 
the  two  met  in  the  Hotel  Manhattan,  the  usual  pro- 
ceeding of  reciting  the  "admonitory  "  letter  was  inaugu- 
rated by  the  First  Reader.  In  reply  to  it  Dr.  Crowell 
said: 

' '  For  forty  years  I  have  striven  to  live  a  Christian  life. 

I  am  old  enough  to  welcome  the  counsel  of  any  one  who 

,  ,    would  point  out  my  failings,  with  a  view  to  the 

Charges  Judge .  ^  r  -i  ,         x  •  , 

Smith  was      improvement  of  my  conduct ;  but  I  am  convmced 
"  erroneously  ^^isLt  in  this  wholc  matter,  you,  as  First  Reader, 

influenced"      .  /  ,  /  , 

m  your  relation  with  me  have  been  erroneously 
influenced.'  " 

To  this  Judge  Smith  replied,  as  if  irritated  by  my  attitude : 
"Then  you  proceed  to  admonish  me,  instead  of  my  admon- 
ishing you."  I  replied  that  I  was  convinced 
refusesTo  t^Sit  he  was  misinformed  in  practically  every- 
pass  on  ran-  thing  that  had  been  assumed  in  this  "admoni- 
mentf**^"  tion."  He  then  drew  from  his  pocket  a  slip  of 
paper  and  read  a  sentence  or  two,  asking  me 
whether  I  thought  that  was  true  Christian  Science  teaching? 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  299 

I  told  him  that  I  knew  nothing  about  what  he  was  reading, 
whose  statement  it  was,  nor  where  it  came  from,  and  that 
I  was  not  there  to  pass  on  an  anonymous  statement  of  any 
sort,  and  that  I  could  not  understand  why  he  was  attempt- 
ing to  put  me  in  the  r61e  of  passing  upon  other  people's 
utterances.  To  this  he  answered,  "You  consider  then 
that  the  business  in  hand  is  between  yourself  and  myself 
solely?"     I  said,  "Decidedly  so." 

Judge  Smith  attempted  in  this  interview  to  show  that 
the  analogy  of  the  Federal  to  the  State  government  applied 
to  the  relation  of  The  Mother  Church  and  the  virtues  and 
branch  churches.     To  this  I  replied  that  the  vices  of 

idea  had  all  the  virtues  and  vices  of  any  other  *°*  °^ 

analogy.  As  a  matter  of  fact.  Judge  vSmith's  theory  of  the 
unlimited  powers  of  The  Mother  Church  Directors  in 
dealing  with  branch  churches,  even  to  the  most  local  mat- 
ters, left  no  room  for  any  such  balance  of  power  as  pertains 
to  the  Federal  and  State  governments  of  the  American 
Union. 

Judge  Smith  alleged  that  an  interview  published  in 
several  New  York  papers  and  credited  to  Dr.  Crowell 
contained  several  utterances  which  were  accepted  as 
his  (Dr.  Crowell's)  attitude  towards  the  Directors. 
Dr.  Crowell  denied  that  any  such  interview  expressed 
his  attitude.  Judge  Smith  asked  him  why  he  did  not 
contradict  it.  To  this  Dr.  Crowell  replied,  that  there 
was  little  use  to  attempt  to  correct  such  a  statement. 
The  Board  of  Directors  had  written  him,  asking  whether 
or  not  the  interview  correctly  reported  his  attitude 
towards  them,  and  he  replied,  stating  that  it  did  not, 
in  many  essentials.     Dr.  Crowell  says: 

I  tried  to  assure  him  that  in  my  judgment  the  Cause  of 
Christian  Science  was  not  in  any  danger  of  suffering  from 
the  people  who  composed  First  Church,  New  York,  but 


300     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

that  on  the  other  hand  they  were  as  loyal  to  the  Cause  as 
I  believed  any  people  could  be.  "I  take  it  that  is  the 
impression  you  wish  to  leave  with  me  as  the  result  of  this 
interview,"  said  Judge  Smith  as  I  rose  to  leave. 

As  I  stood  in  the  doorway  to  depart,  Judge  Smith  said 
Controversy  Something  about  the  work  of  Mr.  Cox,  of  the 
a  discredit  State  Publication  Committee,  in  correcting 
wrong  impressions  in  the  public  thought.  I 
told  him  that  the  Publication  Committee  had  a  big  task 
before  it, — that  this  controversy  had  done  an  immense 
degree  of  discredit  to  Christian  Science  in  the  community. 

Interview  with  Mrs.  Dam 

Mrs.  Isabella  C.  Dam's  interview  with  Judge  Smith 
Mrs.  Dam's  was  held  in  the  Ladies*  Parlor  of  the  Hotel 
account  Manhattan,  New  York  City.  Mrs.  Dam 
states: 

Judge  Smith  handed  me  a  paper.  I  asked  him  if  he 
wished  me  to  read  it.  He  said,  "No,  take  it  home  and 
look  it  over."  Judge  Smith  commenced  his  interview 
by  teUing  me  that  my  teacher,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson, 
was  all  wrong;  that  she  did  not  teach  true  Christian 
Science,  and  that  the  Trustees  of  First  Church,  New  York, 
were  working  against  the  best  interests  of  Christian  Science 
by  opposing  the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church. 

I  said  that  was  not  so;  that  Mrs.  Stetson  never  taught 
anything  but  absolute  Christian  Science  as 
Trustees  sup-  taught  by  Mrs.  Eddy;  that  we  always  would 
port  Directors  support  the  Directors  when  they  worked  in 
obe^y"  Manual  obcdicnce  to  the  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church. 
He  then  asked  me  if  I  had  ever  heard  Mrs. 
Stetson  say,  "No  student  can  get  to  God  except  through 

Defends  Mrs.  ^^^'    *^^^    ^^^    ^^"^     ^^^^    O'^    ^^    ^O^'     ^^^    ^^^^ 

Stetson's  the  student  was  the  little  finger."  I  replied 
teaching  ^^^^  j  ^^^  never  heard  Mrs.  Stetson  say  such 
a  thing;  that  she  always  held  her  students  to  Principle,  and 


Admonitions  to  Committee  of  Inquiry  301 

I  never  heard  her  teach  anything  that  was  not  true  Christian 
Science,  as  we  find  it  in  the  textbook,  Science  and  Health 
with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  and  other  writings  by  Mary 
Baker  Eddy. 

Judge  Smith  then  brought  up  the  question  of  using 
names.  He  asked  me  if  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  that  we  could 
handle  names  without  the  consent  or  knowledge 

Unheard  of 

of  the  persons.  I  said,  "Never,  unless  in  self-  rule  about 
defense  from  mental  attack . "     He  said  we  should    "oida^ce  of 

names 

never  take  up  names.  I  asked,  "Not  even  for 
patients?"  and  "If  a  person  comes  to  me  for  treatment, 
am  I  not  to  mention  his  name  in  treating  him?"  He  said, 
"Certainly  not."  I  said,  "I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing. 
If  you  give  a  person  a  treatment  you  must  think  of  the 
person's  name.  If  you  entered  a  room  filled  with  people 
and  you  wanted  the  attention  of  some  particular  person  in 
the  room,  would  you  merely  say,  'Come  here,'  without 
mentioning  any  one's  name?  Who  would  respond  to  such 
a  call?  Would  you  not  call  that  particular  person  by  name? 
In  treating  a  patient,  would  you  not  call  him  to  awake  to  a 
knowledge  of  his  reality,  and  in  doing  this  would  you  not 
mention  his  name?" 

Judge  Smith  replied,  "No,  that  is  all  wrong.  You  must 
never  take  up  names.  Your  treatment  must  be  impersonal . ' ' 
He  then  cited  a  case  of  a  patient  of  his  own,  who  had  written 
to  him  for  a  treatment;  but  for  certain  reasons  this  lady 
did  not  give  her  name,  or  state  what  the  disease  was,  saying 
she  would  let  him  know  later  all  the  circumstances.  He 
said  he  treated  her  impersonally,  and  that  he  heard  from 
her  afterwards  that  she  had  responded  to  his  treatment. 

Judge  Smith  said  that  he  wanted  to  make  it  clear  to  me 
that  he  had  nothing  against  me  personally,  but  only  as  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  New  York  City. 

In  regard  to  working  against  the  interests  of  the  loyal 
members  of  The  Mother  Church,  I  said,  in  substance,  that 
Mrs.  Stetson  and  her  loyal  students  and  church  members 


302      Vital  Issues  In  Christian  Science 

have    never   worked    "against  the  interests  of   the  loyal 

members  of  The  Mother  Church,"  but,  on  the  contrary, 

they  had  always  worked  with  all  their  spiritual 

Mrs.  stetson  ^  . .  .  ,  , .   ,  r       ■, 

and  students   undcrstandmg,  for  the  accomplishment  of  what 
worked  for      q^   Leader,    Mrs.    Eddy,    has   defined   in    her 

the  Cause 

writings  to  be  "  advantageous  to  this  Church  and 
to  the  Cause  of  Christian  Science." 

I  did  not  read  the  paper  handed  me  by  Judge  Smith  until 
I  arrived  at  home.  The  conversation  here  recorded,  or 
the  "admonition,"  if  it  can  be  so  called,  terminated  with 
the  visit  of  Judge  Smith,  and  no  further  "admonition" 
has  been  administered. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  SEVEN  FINDINGS 

Whoever  has  taken  the  trouble  to  follow  the  account 
up  to  this  point  will  have  realized  the  efforts  made  by 
the  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  to  secure  ^he  real 
a  disavowal  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  instruction  as  a  '^sue 

teacher  after  they  had  sent  to  her  their  letter  of 
September  25,  1909,  enclosing  a  copy  of  the  seven 
"Findings"  and  their  "Orders."  It  will  also  appear 
to  the  reader  that  the  Directors  met  with  a  serious 
obstacle  in  the  nature  of  the  convictions  held  by  a  large 
number  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  students,  that  the  truth,  as 
expounded  by  their  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy,  had  been 
correctly  taught  to  them  by  their  teacher,  Mrs.  Stetson. 

The  issue,  therefore,  ceased  to  be  one  between  the 
Directors  in  Boston  and  Mrs.  Stetson,  and  became 
a  clear-cut  issue  as  to  what  really  was  the  true  teach- 
ing of  Christian  Science, — whether  the  views  held  by 
the  Directors  were  correct,  or  whether  Mrs.  Stetson's 
teachings  were  correct. 

The   two  view-points  were   essentially  different    in 
method  as  well  as  in  doctrine.     The  line  of  cleavage 
between  the  Directors'  conception  of  Chris- 
tian Science  and  that  of  Mrs.  Stetson  and  her    authority  vs. 
adherents  was  fundamental.     The  effort  to         spiritual 

dominion 

secure  disavowal  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  instruction, 
and  avowal  of  the  Directors'  conception  has  generally 

303 


304      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

been  regarded  by  those  to  whom  the  test  was  put  as  a 
demand  to  sacrifice  the  spiritual  conception  of  Christian 
Science  to  the  material  conception  thereof. 

It  was  taken  as  setting  up  a  standard  of  institutional 
authority  based  on  material  concepts,  as  against  the 
standard  of  spiritual  dominion.  Spiritual  dominion 
and  the  capacity  to  assert  it  had  always  been  a  feature 
of  the  instruction  which  Mrs.  Stetson  emphasized  in  her 
classes  and  in  her  public  utterances.  In  fact,  it  was 
the  vigorous  assertion  of  the  right  to  exercise  spiritual 
power  in  mental  self-defense,  that  brought  her  into 
conflict  with  the  Board  of  Directors. 

Mrs.  Stetson,  from  the  very  beginning  of  her  work 

in   Christian   Science,   put  primary  emphasis  on  the 

healing   capacity   and    the   spiritual   ability 

stetson  em-    to  deal  with  sin  as  well  as  its  manifestation, — 

phasized  in     gickncss, — in  whatcvcr  form  it  might  present 

her  work  °        ^ 

itself  in  opposition  to  the  progress  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  In  other  words,  the  spiritual  power 
to  destroy  sin  and  its  effects  was  the  test  of  the  spiritual 
effectiveness  of  service  to  God  and  man.  This  singled 
out  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  and  healing,  and  to  a  great 
extent  gives  it  a  place  by  itself. 

As  the  governing  head  of  The  Mother  Church,  the 
Founder  and  Leader  of  the  Cause,  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
deemed  it  wise  in  the  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church  to 
hedge  in  with  protective  provisions  the  branches  of 
The  Mother  Church.  Under  these  wise  provisions, 
First   Church   of   Christ,    Scientist,    New  York   City, 

enjoyed  some  twenty  years  of  peaceful,  pro- 
liberty  in  grcssivc,  and  influential  growth.  The  secret 
spiritual         q£    j^g    nrfowth,  as    suggcstcd   in    an   earlier 

achievement  °  °° 

chapter,  was  due  to  the  emphasis  which 
was  put,  not  upon  ecclesiastical  authority,  but   upon 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  305 

liberty  of  individual  achievement  in  things  spiritual. 
The  development  of  the  spiritual  sense,  and  the  handling 
of  the  claims  of  hypnotism,  mesmerism,  animal  mag- 
netism (malicious,  ignorant,  or  innocent,  conscious  or 
unconscious)  through  the  power  of  Truth  and  Love,  was 
the  essential  feature  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  year  in 
and  year  out. 

The  truth  or  falsity  of  every  position  taken  by  the 
Directors  against   Mrs.   Stetson   and   the   New  York 
Trustees   depends  upon    which  of    the  two 
view-points  above  described  the  question  is      spirituality 
considered.     If  each  of  the  seven  ' '  Findings' '    ..  ^P^}]^'^  *° 

cs  0  Findings  " 

promulgated  by  the  Board  of  Directors 
against  Mrs,  Stetson  on  September  25,  1909,  be  tested 
by  this  standard,  we  believe,  it  will  be  found  that  from 
the  spiritual  standpoint  the  Board  of  Directors  was 
misled  and  was  wrong;  while  from  the  standpoint  of 
material  laws  they  had  some  show  of  justification.  For 
instance,  "Finding"  No.  i  declared: 

That  Mrs.  Stetson  teaches  her  students,  or  those  with 
whom  she  has  been  holding  daily  meetings,  that  the  branch 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  of  which  she  is  a  member,  is 
the  only  legitimate  Christian  Science  church  in  New  York 
City;  and  she  teaches  her  students,  or  said  group  of  stu- 
dents, not  to  regard  the  other  branches  of  The  Mother 
Church  which  are  in  that  city  as  Christian  Science 
churches. 

This  raised  the  question,  What  is  a  legitimate 
Christian  Science  church?  In  the  spiritual  sense,  it 
is  "The  structure  of  Truth  and  Love"  (Science  and 
Health,  p.  583),  and  no  legitimate  branch  church,  other 
than  a  First  Church,  can  be  formed  which  is  not  an 
overflow  from  some  church,  the  membership  of  which 


3o6      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

has  been  harmoniously  working  together  in  brotherly 
love  for  its  upbuilding  and  the  advancement  of  the 
Cause  of  Christian  Science. 

Therefore,  a  legitimate  branch  church  cannot  be  the 

outgrowth  of  dissent,  discord,  and  personal  ambition. 

But  if  elements  representing  these  qualities 

Institutional  ,  .  ,  ,  .    ,  -      , 

legitimacy  of  go  out  and  Organize  a  formal  society,  and  ob- 
branch  ^^^^  ^  charter  from  the  State,  and  then  apply 

churches  none  '  r-i-  j 

the  less  for  rccognition  on  the  part  of  The  Mother 
sma  ic  Church  authorities,  these  very  elements  thus 
constituted  could  be  recognized  as  a  legitimate  Chris- 
tian Science  church,  according  to  institutional  standards 
and  regardless  of  the  Individual  attitude  towards  the 
church  from  which  they  seceded.  Such  secession, 
nevertheless,  constitutes  a  schism. 

The  impelling  factor  in  the  secessions  from  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  was  the 
chemicalization  resulting  from  the  radical  spiritual 
teaching  and  practice  which  Mrs.  Stetson  constantly 
insisted  upon.  What  must  have  been  the  consequences 
of  constantly  pouring  into  the  mentality  of  a  congrega- 
tion of  Christian  people  this  oil  of  spiritual  healing 
power?  The  most  natural  thing  in  the  world,  as  the 
legitimate  outcome,  was  the  chemicalization'  among 
the   individual    members   of   such    a   body. 

Results  of  •        •  I-    TV  T  o  > 

spiritual  From  the  beginning  of  Mrs.  Stetson  s  con- 
growth  gregational     experience,    this    insistence    of 

spiritual  growth  as  a  proof  of  capacity  to  engage  in 
the  healing  work  had  the  effect  of  causing  a  process 
of  separation  among  incompatible  elements. 

It  is  from  this  view-point  that  Mrs.  Stetson,  who  knew 

' "  By  chemicalization  I  mean  the  process  which  mortal  mind  and 
body  undergo  in  the  change  of  belief  from  a  material  to  a  spiritual  basis  " 
{Science  and  Health,  pp.  i68,  169). 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  307 

the  quality  of  thought  which  had  brought  about  the 
withdrawal  of  members  to  form  churches  of  their  own, 
spoke  of  such  churches,  and  of  those  which  were  off- 
shoots from  these  churches,  as  schismatic  in  their 
character.  A  schism  in  the  ecclesiastical  sense  is 
properly  defined  as  "A  permanent  difference  or  separa- 
tion in  the  Christian  Church,  occasioned  by  diversity 
of  opinions  or  other  reasons." 

Christian  Science  is  a  religion  of  Love,  as  the  Founder 
and   Leader,   Mary  Baker  Eddy,   defines  it.     There- 
fore branch  churches  originating  in  qualities 
other  than  unity  and  love  cannot  properly  ^°^®  "°<*  "°'*y 

■I  -     ^     .  -  .    .  ,  ,       .    .        the  only  spir- 

be  regarded  m  the  spiritual  sense  as  legiti-  uuai  basis  of 
mate  Christian  Science  churches.     On   the        .  „*'''"':'' 

fellowship 

other  hand,  if  formal  compliance  with  cons- 
titutional requirements  in  the  legal  sense  be  used  as  the 
test,  then  such  branch  churches  are  quite  as  regular  as 
any  other;  but  Mrs.  Stetson's  statement  that  First 
Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York,  "is  the  only 
legitimate  Christian  Science  church  in  New  York  City, " 
is,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  true. 
The  second  "Finding"  read: 

2.  That  a  considerable  number  of  the  witnesses  whose 
testimony  the  Directors  have  heard,  exhibit  as  Mrs.  Stet- 
son's teaching  an  erroneous  sense  of  Christian  christian 
Science,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  application  Science  and 
of  Christian  Science  to  human  needs  and  condi-  **"™*ditions 
tions;  the  witnesses  whom  the  Directors  have 
heard  being  with  one  exception  her  students,  and  being 
a  select  body  of  students  chosen  by  her,  or  a  board  of  which 
she  was  a  member,  to  be  representative  practitioners  of 
Christian  Science. 

Following  the  line  of  the  spiritual,  as  distinct  from 


3o8       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

the  material  concept  of  Christian  Science,  it  becomes 
easy  to  see  wherein  the  Directors  were,  in  our  judgment, 
misled  in  holding  that  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  involved 
"an  erroneous  sense  of  Christian  Science,  particularly 
in  regard  to  the  application  of  Christian  Science  to 
human  needs  and  conditions."  Brushing  aside  any 
disposition  to  evade  the  meaning  of  this  charge,  the 
reader  should  know  that  it  referred  to  the  relations  of 
the  sexes. 

From  the  spiritual  view-point,  which  is  essentially 

that  of  Christian  Science,  and  was  essentially  that  of 

Mrs.    Stetson,    carnality    must    necessarily 

fan's  Caching  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^c  quick,  with  the  effect 
at  war  with  of  unscttHng  human  relations  based  on  the 
mindedness  Carnally  minded  concept  thereof.  The  ap- 
plication of  the  spiritual  import  of  Christian 
Science  to  human  relations  in  domestic,  in  civil,  or  in 
public  life  is  bound  to  impair  the  foundations  which  are 
laid  in  the  animal  nature.  On  this  point,  and  the 
inevitableness  of  its  application  to  human  society,  the 
Board  of  Directors  knew,  or  should  have  known,  if 
they  know  anything  of  the  vital  import  of  Christian 
Science,  that  the  leavening  of  human  conditions  with 
spiritual  understanding  must  carry  with  it,  as  part 
of  the  cost  of  progress,  some  disturbing  changes, 
because  of  the  impossibility  of  reconciling  Spirit 
and  the  flesh.  Yet  this  is  the  very  teaching  for 
which  Mrs.  Stetson  was  condemned  under  this  second 
"Finding." 

Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  of  Christian  Science,  as 
enunciated  and  taught  to  her  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy, 
brought  about  the  inevitable  result  which  the  teachings 
of  Jesus  the  Christ  produced  in  his  time,  when  he 
said: 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  309 

Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth: 
I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword. 

For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance    "  ^ "™®  °°* 

•  1  *•*  send 

against  his  father,  and  the  daughter  agamst  her  peace  " 

mother,   and  the  daughter  in  law  against  her 
mother  in  law. 

And  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household 
(Matthew  X.,  34-36). 

"Finding"  three  read: 

3.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  endeavors  to  exercise  a  control 
over  her  students  which  tends  to  hinder  their  moral  and 
spiritual  growth. 

One  of  the  witnesses,  whom  the  Directors,  etc., 
claimed  had  given  confirmatory  evidence  of  the  above 
"Finding,"  bore  quite  the  contrary  testimony  at  a 
Wednesday  evening  meeting  in  First  Church,  New 
York,  on  September  29,  1909.  In  referring  to  the 
instruction  of  Mrs.  Stetson,  Mrs.  Kate  Y.  Remer  said: 

Not  only  was  I  healed  physically,  but  I  felt  the  touch  of 
the  Christ  love  which  gave  me  spiritual  birth.  Afterwards 
my  dear  practitioner  [Mrs.  Stetson]  became  my 
teacher  in  Christian  Science — teaching  me  the  '^iestimony 
Truth  as  found  in  our  textbook.  Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy, — 
also  how  to  handle  hypnotism,  mesmerism,  spiritualism, 
and  the  other  claims  of  mortal  mind.  As  the  result  of  this 
teaching  we  are  enabled  to  know  and  prove  that  man  is 
immortal,  thus  redeeming  our  birthright  as  children  of  the 
living  God. 

We  beg  to  ask,  does  this  sound  like  control  which 
tends  to  hinder  moral  and  spiritual  growth?  On  the 
face  of  it,  evidently  not.     Within  a  week  Mrs.  Remer 


3IO      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

was  called  to  account  by  The  Mother  Church  Directors 
in  the  following  letter: 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 

Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 

Boston,  Mass. 

Office  of  the 

Secretary 

Oct.  4,  1909. 
Mrs.  KA.TE  Y.  Remer, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Mrs.  Remer:  We  have  been  informed  that  you 
gave  a  testimonial  in  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
Directors  call  ^^^  York  City,  last  Wednesday  night,  in  which 
Mrs.  Remer  you  Stated,  among  Other  things,  that  your 
to  account  tcachcr  Mrs.  Stetson  had  never  taught  you 
anything  but  true  Christian  Science  and  that  you  had  been 
properly  taught,  etc.  etc. 

In  view  of  your  recent  testimony  before  this  Board,  in 
which  you  repeated  treatments  and  stated  the  teachings  of 
your  teacher,  which  were  far  from  being  in  accord  v.'ith 
Christian  Science,  and  which  you  yotirself  denounced  as 
wicked,  this  Board  requests  you  to  state  your  position  by 
return  mail. 

This  Board  wishes  to  know  at  once  why  you  gave  this 
testimonial  directly  contrary  to  your  testimony  here  and 
they  further  wish  to  know  immediately  whether  you  now 
approve  of  the  things  taught  and  done  by  Mrs.  Stetson  as 
related,  or  whether  you  now  deny  that  those  things  occurred. 

Very  respectfully, 
CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 
By  (Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore, 

Secretary. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  311 

Mrs.  Remer's  answer  defines  her  position  squarely 

in  the  following  words  addressed  to  Mr.  J.  V.  Dittemore, 

Secretary,  etc.: 

New  York  City, 
October  6,  1909. 

My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — Replying  to  your  letter  of  the 
4th,  I  hand  you  herewith  a  copy  of  my  testimony  given  last 
Wednesday  evening  at  First  Church  of  Christ, 

Takes  stand 

Scientist,  New  York  City.  I  am  convinced  that  in  support  of 
the  teaching  I  have  received  from  my  teacher,  ^'^-  stetson's 
Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D.,  is  in  exact  accord 
with  Christian  Science  as  taught  by  our  beloved  Leader, 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  in  her  writings  and  practice.  I  am 
persuaded  also  that  anything  said  by  me  to  the  contrary 
was  a  result  of  my  failure  to  do  properly  the  daily  duty 
enjoined  by  our  beloved  Leader  in  Article  VIII.,  Sect.  6, 
of  the  Church  Manual, — "It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every 
member  of  this  Church  to  defend  himself  daily  against 
aggressive  mental  suggestion,  and  not  be  made  to  forget  nor 
to  neglect  his  duty  to  God,  to  his  Leader,  and  to  mankind. 
By  his  works  he  shall  be  judged, — and  justified  or  con- 
demned. "  Please  say  this  for  me  to  the  Board  of  Directors. 
Believe  me, 

Faithfully  yours  in  Truth, 

(Signed)        Kate  Y.  Remer. 

The  Secretary  replied  to  this  as  follows: 

The  Christian  Science  Board  of  Directors 

OF 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  SCIENTIST, 
Norway,  Falmouth  &  St.  Paul  Sts. 
Boston,  Mass. 
Office  of   the 

Secretary 

October  8,  1909. 

Mrs.  Kate  Y.  Remer, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Mrs.  Remer:    Your  very  extraordinary  letter  and 


312       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

enclosure  are  at  hand.     The   Directors  of  The   Mother 
Church  now  ask  you  whether  the  testimony  which  you 
recently  gave  before  them  is  true  or  false.     Please  let  me 
have  your  answer  to  this  question  at  once. 
Very  sincerely, 

(Signed)     J.  V.  Dittemore, 
Secretary  of  the 
CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 

Mrs.  Remer  answered  as  follows: 

New  York  City, 
October  lo,  1909. 
My  dear  Mr.  Dittemore: — In  so  far  as  my  testimony  given 
in  Boston  may  conflict  with    the  statements  in  my  last 
w    . .  letter,  and  in  the  enclosure  sent  therewith,  that 

Mental  con-  .  ' 

fusion  and  testimony  was  not  true,  due  to  great  mental 
facts"*'  °'  confusion  and  reversal  of  the  facts.  My  testi- 
mony given  Wednesday  night,  Sept.  29th,  in 
First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City,  was 
true. 

Yours  very  tnily, 
(Signed)     Kate  Y.  Remer. 

One  of  the  chief  witnesses  upon  whom  we  understand 
the  Board  of  Directors  relied  for  evidence  as  to  Mrs. 
Stetson's  exercising  a  hindering  control  over  her 
students  in  their  moral  and  spiritual  growth,  was 
Richard  P.  Verrall.  His  testimony  before  the  Com- 
mittee of  Inquiry  of  the  New  York  Trustees  speaks  for 
itself.  At  these  Committee  hearings  Mr.  Verrall  was 
asked :  * 

18.  Q.  What  has  been  the  efTect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 
influence  on  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress 

Mr.  verraii's  duHng  thosc  fourtccn  years? 

testimony  A.     Well,  I  think  that  is  rather  a  diffi- 

cult question  to  ask.     I  can't  answer  that  ques- 

'  The  testimonies  quoted  are  from  the  stenographic  records. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  313 

tion  in  that  form,  because  I  know  enough  of 
Christian  Science  to  know  that  people  do  not 
affect  us. 

19.  Q.     Then  Mrs.  Stetson  has  not  affected  you  either 

injuriously  or  favorably? 
A.     No,  sir. 

20.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  your  coming  into 

a  knowledge  of  and  association  with  Mrs.  Stet- 
son, in  so  far  as  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress 
is  concerned? 
A.  To  the  extent  that  Mrs.  Stetson  has  been  the 
voice  of  Christian  Science  to  me,  it  has  been 
helpful. 

21.  Q.     Will  you  state  the  extent  to  which 

Mrs.   Stetson  has  been  the  voice  of      Mrs.  stet- 

TruthtOyOU?  son's  help- 

•^  fulness 

A.     To  the  extent  that  she  has  adhered 
to  the  teachings  of  Mrs.  Eddy. 

22.  Q.     What  has  been  the  extent? 

A.     Well,  I  cannot  tell  you — it  is  rather  an  ex- 
tensive subject. 

23.  Q.     Then  you  are  not  able  to  tell  the  Committee — 

though  you  have  been  associated  with  Mrs. 
Stetson  as  a  student  and  as  a  practitioner  in  this 
church — you  are  not  able  to  state  whether  that 
has  impeded  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress? 
A.  Before  answering  that  question,  I  would  like 
to  state  that  the  reading  of  Science  and  Health 
was  my  only  practitioner,  and  it  healed  me,  and 
I  have  never  had  any  other — I  have  never  had  a 
practitioner  in  Christian  Science. 

24.  Q.     Mrs.  Stetson  has  never  been  your  practitioner? 
A.     She  has  given  me  about  three  treatments,  and, 

with  only  one  exception,  at  her  own  request. 


314      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

25.  Q.     After  making  this  explanation,  I  will  restate 

my  question:  Will  you  kindly  state  the  effect 
upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress  from 
your  having  come  to  know  and  to  be  associated 
with  Augusta  E.  Stetson  as  a  student  and  in  your 
capacity  as  a  practitioner  in  First  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City? 
A.  That  depends  upon  the  fidelity  with  which 
I  have  adhered  to  the  teachings  of  Christian 
Science. 

26.  Q.  What  we  are  trying  to  get,  Mr.  Verrall,  is  a 

statement  from  you  as  to  whether,  according  to 
your  experience,  Mrs.  Stetson  has  impeded  or 
stopped  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress. 
A.     That  is  an  impossible  question  for  me  to 
answer. 

Mrs.  Margaret  Beecher  White,  one  of  those  who  testi- 
fied at  Boston,  also  testified  before  the  Committee  of 
Inquiry  as  follows: 

30.  Q.     Will  you  state  to  this  Committee  whether 
,,     „,^..  .    Mrs.  Stetson,  during  this  time,  has  endeav- 

Mrs.  White's  . 

conception  of  orcd    to    cxercisc    such    control    over    you 
control*"^       as    to    hinder     your    moral    and    spiritual 
growth? 
A.     Mrs.  Stetson  has  not,  until  the  last  year  and  a 
half,  and  then  I  think  she  has. 

31.  Q.     In  what  manner  did  this  control  express  itself? 
A.     We  were  all  more  or  less  under  that  control, 

in  the  sense  that  we  couldn't  be  absent  from 
certain  meetings  without  her  permission:  we 
couldn't  be  late,  and  we  couldn't  go  out  of  town 
without  her  permission.  I  know  I  was  not  ex- 
pected to  go  to  see  my  boy  in  boarding-school 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  315 

without  her  permission,  and  at  times  that  was 
very  reluctantly  given. 

32.  Q.     Will  you  state  just  what  she  said? 
A.     No;   I  don't  think  I  can  state  just 

what  she  said;  but  it  was  the  sense  Absence  from 

meetings  dis- 

that  it  was  more  important  for  me  to        couraged 

be  here  and  not  miss  a  meeting,  than 

to  go  and  see  my  boy  and  take  care  of  him. 

33.  Q.     Then  she  didn't  tell  you  not  to  go? 

A.  No;  she  didn't  tell  me  not  to  go,  but  it  was 
the  sense  that  we  were  always  to  take  any  idea 
of  hers  as  a  leading  on  the  subject.  She  would 
state  her  ideas,  and  we  could  take  it  as  a  leading. 

34.  Q.     Did  she  say  that? 

A.     No,  she  didn't  say  that ;  it  was  always  implied. 

35.  Q.     Then  you  felt  you  were  not  going  right  if  you 

went  against  what  you  call  her  leading? 
A.     I  didn't  feel  that  at  all.     I  felt  that  I  should 
follow  my  own  ideas  on  that  point,  so  far  as  my 
children  were  concerned,  and  I  always  did. 

36.  Q.     Then  she  didn't,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  exercise 

an  improper  control  over  you? 
A.     Not  in  that  particular. 

37.  Q.     In  any  other  particular  did  she? 

A.      Yes;  I  think  I  had  a  sense  of  fear 
of   not   being    at    the    practitioners'      tendance  a 
meetings,  or  of  being  late.  '*"*^ 

Here  is  a  clear  sense  of  the  decided  preference  of  a 
teacher  for  regular  attendance  and  punctuality  at  the 
place  of  meeting  for  mutual  benefit,  construed  into  a 
charge  of  personal  control.  Recognizing  the  difficulty 
of  securing  uniform  development  among  the  practi- 
tioners, on  the  subject  of  discussion,  emphasis  upon 


3i6     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

regularity  and  promptness  was  perfectly  natural  under 
the  circumstances.  The  insistence  on  this  point  was 
the  same  as  that  of  a  demonstrator  in  clinical  exercises 
insisting  on  the  presence  of  each  one  who  has  been 
admitted  to  the  privilege  of  attendance. 

These  practitioners'  meetings  were  mental  clinics. 
Practitioners  who  attended  them  were  representatives 
of  the  practice  of  Christian  Science,  authorized  to 
practice  under  the  church  roof,  with  the  privilege  of 
protection  of  such  position.  It  was  their  duty  to  work 
together,  and  if  feasible  to  be  present  at  all  regular  meet- 
ings. Regular  attendance  as  far  as  practicable  was  the 
result  of  a  common  imderstanding  among  the  practition- 
ers themselves. 

Miss  Ella  G.  Young,  another  witness  before  the  Board 
of  Directors,  testified  as  follows  on  the  same  subject 
before  the  Committee  of  Inquiry: 

24.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  growth.^ 
A.     It  varied. 

25.  Q.     In  what  particulars? 

A.     Why,  it  has  been  very  helpful  in  many  ways, 
but  not  so  helpful  in  other  ways. 

26.  Q.     Will  you  mention  the  ways  in  which  it  was 

helpful,  and  the  ways  in  which  it  was  otherwise? 

A.     Mrs.  Stetson  has   taught    me   to  obey 

appreciation        hcr    implicitly,  and    she    has    taught   me 

son^"'^*^*'       ^°  ^°^^    Science  and  Health.     I  am  very 

thankful  for  that. 

27.  Q.     Anything  else? 

A.     Well,  on  the  other  side  she  taught  me — I  have 
been  held  under  a  great  deal  of  personal  control, 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  317 

which  I  did  not  think  was  according  to  the 
teaching  of  Mrs.  Eddy ;  a  good  deal  of  fear,  and 
in  that  respect  it  has  been  harmftd  to  me, 

Q.  In  what  particular  have  you  been  under  the 
control  of  Mrs.  Stetson? 

A.  In  the  question  of  not  being  a  perfectly  free 
agent. 

Q.     In  what  ways  did  that  manifest  itself? 

A.  In  the  question  of  whether  I  could  move,  or 
whether  I  could  not  move,  and  whether  I  could 
go,  and  whether  I  could  not  go,  and  not  being  at 
liberty  to  go  away  when  I  felt  the  leading  to  go 
off  entirely.  I  was  commanded  to  be  here  at 
the  tick  of  the  clock,  year  in  and  year  out.  It 
doesn't  seem  to  me  that  that  is  the  freedom  of 
the  sons  of  God. 

Q.  Will  you  mention  to  the  Committee  some 
instance  of  the  kind  that  you  describe  in  this 
way,  and  what  Mrs.  Stetson  said? 

A.  Well,  it  is  the  question  of  my  home  very 
largely.  I  made  a  choice  of  a  home,  and  it  is  not 
at  all  according  to  the  liking  of  Mrs.  Stetson. 

Q.     When  was  this? 

A.     This  was  about  five  years  ago,  I  think. 

Q.  What  was  the  objection  that  she  made  to 
it? 

A.  She  objected  to  the  people  that  lived  in  the 
house  with  me. 

Q.     What  objection  did  she  make  to  the  people? 

A.  She  objected,  I  suppose  to  their  mental 
influence. 

Q.     I  know,  but  what  objection  did  she  state? 

A.     The  mental  influence. 


3i8      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

40.  Q.     How  long    after    giving   her   approval,    did 
Ignored  advice  she  tell  you    shc  thought    it  was    not   de- 

in  selecting  .       1  1     -^ 

a  home  Sliable? 

A.     The  subsequent  three  years  she  was  continu- 
ously telling  me. 

41.  Q.     But  you  did  stay? 
A.     Yes. 

Mr.  Arthur  E.  Overbury,  when  questioned  under  this 
head,  gave  a  series  of  answers  which  showed  that  his 
„   ^    ^      objection  was  rather  to  the  rules  which  the 

Mr.  Overbury         "^       _    _ 

objects  to       practitioners  had   laid   down   among  them- 
selves  in    the    Reading    Room   committees, 
than  to  anything  which  Mrs.  Stetson  had  done.     For 
example,  in  question  1 1  of  his  testimony,  he  was  asked : 

11.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect,   Mr.   Overbury, 

upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  growth,  from  yoiu* 
having  become  a  member  of  this  church  and  a 
Christian  Scientist? 
Mrs.  stet-       ^        j^.     j^^g     ^^qq^j     ycry     beneficial — my 

son's  influence  •'  -^ 

beneficial  conncction  with  Christian  Science. 

12.  Q.     Then  you  have  grown  morally  and  spiritually 

since  you  became  a  member  of  this  church? 
A.     Since  I  came  into  Christian  Science. 

13.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  this  moral  and  spiritual  growth? 
A.     Her  metaphysical  teaching  has  been  beneficial ; 
the  ethical  teaching  I  consider  to  have  been  very 
detrimental. 

14.  Q.     Has  this  ethical  teaching  injured  you  morally 

or  spiritually? 
A.     It  has  tied  me  at  times  into  a  very  tight 
mental  condition,   which   my  normal  scientific 
sense  has  enabled  me  to  get  out  of. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  319 

15-  Q-  Well,  now,  will  you  state  what  you  understand 
to  be  ethical  teaching, — the  ethical  teaching  of 
Mrs.  Stetson  which  was  injurious? 
A.  The  ethical  teaching  that  took  the  personal 
domination  of  the  church  relationship  that  I 
came  in  contact  with. 

16.  Q.     In  what  way  did  this  matter  affect  you  in 

your  activities  as  a  member  of  the  church  and  as 
a  practitioner? 
A.     It  affected  me, — first  my  practice 
was  interfered  with  by  the  system  of  Room  control 
control   of   the  practitioners    of    the      "'terfered 

^  with  practice 

church. 

17.  Q.     You  mean  of  the  Reading  Room? 
A.     The  Reading  Room. 

Mr.  Strickler  also  found  it  difficult  to  define  in  what 
particular  respect  Mrs.  Stetson  had  exercised  any 
control  over  him  of  a  hindering  character  to  his  moral 
and  spiritual  growth.  In  the  testimony  given  before 
the  Committee  of  Inquiry,  on  October  12,  1909,  and 
thereafter,  Mr.  Strickler  was  asked : 

66.  Q.  What  was  the  influence  upon  your  practice 
in  Christian  Science — upon  your  health  and  your 
morals — as  a  result  of  your  relationship  with 
Mrs.  Stetson? 
A.  My  relationship  with  Mrs.  Stetson  was  agree- 
able and  helpful  until  I  became  a  ^^  strickler 
practitioner  and  attended  the  practi-     found  asso- 

I  , .  .        J .  .         .  .  ciation  helpful 

tioners    meetings  m  this  church. 


71.     Q.     What   was   the   effect   of  your  taking  class 
instruction  with  Mrs.  Stetson? 


320     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

A.  That  is  a  difficult  question  for  me  to  answer. 
I  would  say  that  the  benefit  I  got  from  going 
through  class  with  Mrs.  Stetson  was  more  a 
stimulus  to  my  own  endeavor  to  learn  Christian 
Science — I  think  she  helped  me  in  that  very 
much.  I  began  the  study  of  Christian  Science 
quite  earnestly  and  vigorously  after  that  time. 

72.  Q.     You   don't   think  you  learned   much  about 

Christian  Science  from  Mrs.  Stetson's  instruc- 
tions? 
A.     Yes,  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  me  a  good  deal  of 
the  letter    of    Christian    Science,    but    a 

Reiterates  ^     ,       -        .      ,  ,  .,. 

appreciation        gooQ  deal  oi   the   ability  to    demonstrate 
of  Mrs.  stet-       £|.  qq^^q   through    my  own    efforts.     I  do 

son  "  -' 

not  want  to  detract  one  iota  from  the 
benefit  I  got  from  her,  but  I  do  think  that  the 
real  benefits  I  have  obtained  came  through  my 
own  attempt  to  apply  what  she  taught  me. 

73.  Q.     In  the  intercourse  that  you  had  with  Mrs. 

Stetson  before  you  became  a  practitioner,  was 
the  subject  of  Christian  Science  chiefly  the 
matter  discussed,  or  was  your  relationship  on 
some  other  basis? 
A.  I  do  not  recall  that  I  ever  spent  very  much 
time  with  Mrs.  Stetson  except  about  Christian 
Science  matters. 

74.  Q.     You  think  that  what  you  know  of  Christian 

Science  came  principally  through  your  studies 
individually,  and  not  through  your  connection 
with  Mrs.  Stetson? 
A.  I  would  not  say  that — I  learned  a  good  deal 
from  Mrs.  Stetson — it  would  be  impossible  for 
me  to  say  what  proportion,  but  Mrs.  Stetson 
has  helped  me  very  much. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  321 

Q.  Have  you  at  any  time  expressed  your  appre- 
ciation for  these  benefits? 

A.  Many,  many  times — I  am  expressing  them 
now. 

Q.  And  this  expression  of  your  appreciation 
would  be  the  evidence  that  what  you  have 
received  from  her  has  helped  you? 

A.  Mrs.  Stetson  has  helped  me  very  much,  and 
I  appreciate  it  very  deeply,  and  have  expressed 
my  appreciation  many  times,  and  always  shall. 

Q.  What  was  the  effect  upon  your  moral  and 
spiritual  progress  of  your  relationship  with  Mrs. 
Stetson  up  to  the  time  that  you  became  a  prac- 
titioner in  the  Rooms? 

A.  I  have  answered  that  question  once — I  never 
saw  anything  but  good  in  Mrs.  Stetson — never 
heard  anything  that  I  could  disapprove,  until 
I  began  to  meet  with  the  practitioners. 

Q.  What  words  did  Mrs.  Stetson  use  in  teaching 
that  it  was  right  for  her  to  exercise  mental 
control  over  her  students? 

A.  She  taught  it  and  practised  it  in  such  a 
multitude  of  ways  that  I  could  not  say  what 
her  precise  words  were. 

Q.  Will  you  give  the  best  recollection  you  have 
of  the  things  Mrs.  Stetson  said  from  which  you 
have  drawn  that  conclusion? 

A.  Her  declaration  that  a  student  could  not 
progress  in  Christian  Science  who  became  dis- 
loyal to  her,  and  could  not  be  a  successful  healer 
or  a  successful  Christian  Science  practitioner, 
was  one  of  the  forms  that  that  doctrine  took  in 
her  teachings. 


322      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

450.  Q.  You  said  there  were  a  multitude  of  ways  in 
which  Mrs.  Stetson  taught  this  by  example  as 
well  as  precept — will  you  kindly  mention  the 
particular  instance  in  your  experience  in  which 
Mrs.  Stetson  exercised  mental  control  over  you? 
A.  The  way  she  attempted,  you  mean, — I  do 
not  consent  to  the  proposition  that  she  exercised 
mental  control  over  me,  but  she  attempted  to. 

461.     Q.     You  mention  one  other  instance? 

A.  On  the  night  before  her  Students'  Association 
last  year,  when  there  were  a  good  many  stu- 
dents in  the  Wednesday  evening  meeting,  and 
she  was  sitting  in  the  balcony  to  my  right  in 
the  front  row — just  before  I  finished  reading  the 
second  hymn,  my  attention  was  called  to  Mrs. 
Stetson,  and  I  found  her  looking  at  me,  and 
bobbing  her  head  at  me,  and  frowning  and  going 
through  the  most  tremendous  bodily  move- 
ments, and  showing  the  most  violent  displeasure 
at  something  that  I  was  doing — it  almost  discon- 
certed me — I  stopped  in  the  midst  of  the  reading 
of  the  hymn  and  was  nonplussed  for  an  instant — 
then  I  realized  that  I  must  go  ahead  regardless 
of  what  I  was  doing  wrong,  that  I  could  not  stop 
in  front  of  the  audience — and  for  five  or  ten 
minutes  afterwards  every  time  I  looked  at  her 
she  exhibited  the  most  violent  displeasure. 
After  the  meeting  was  over  I  went  up  to  her  and 
gave  her  an  opportunity  to  tell  me  what  it  was, 
but  she  spoke  very  pleasantly  and  never  re- 
ferred to  the  incident  and  I  did  not — it  had 
apparently  passed  out  of  her  mind.  I  might  go 
on  and  mention  numberless  instances  of  where 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  323 

she  has  exercised  or  has  attempted  to  exercise 
her  control  in  the  manner  of  the  church  services 
and  of  my  discharge  of  my  part  of  the  duties  in 
the  services. 
462.  Q.  Don't  mention  the  general  statement  with- 
out giving  the  particulars — please  state  par- 
ticulars. 
A.  I  don't  think  I  have  anything  more  to  say 
on  that  point,  unless  you  ask  me  some  question. 

The  date  at  which  Mr.  Strickler  began,  according  to 
his  own  testimony,  to  resist  the  ideas  expressed  by  Mrs. 
Stetson  at  the  twelve  o'clock  meetings  of  the 

.    .  1         •         T  Records  Mrs. 

practitioners   was   early   m   January,    1909.        stetson's 
About  the  same  time  he  began  to  make  a      utterances 

^  _  in  diary 

record  in  his  diary,  as  he  says,  of  certain  ut- 
terances of  Mrs.  Stetson,  "In  order  that  I  might  study 
them,  to  be  sure  whether  I  understood  right  or  not. " 

80.  Q.     When  did  you  begin  to  attend  those  meetings  ? 
A.     Mrs.  Stetson  did  not  ask  me  to  attend  those 

meetings  for  some  months  after  I  became  Reader 
— I  think  it  was  September  or  October,  1908, 
before  I  was  admitted  to  the  twelve  o'clock 
meetings. 

81.  Q.     What  was  the  influence  of  the  twelve  o'clock 

meetings  upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress? 
A.    The  influence  of  the  treatments  that     Mental  op- 
Mrs.  Stetson  gave  had  a  frightfully  position 
bad  effect,  unless  they  were  neutralized. 

82.  Q.     I  asked  you,  what  was  the  effect  upon  your 

moral  and  spiritual  progress? 
A.     The  effect  of  many  of  those  treatments  was 
to  cause  me  to  work  as  hard  as  I  could  to  prevent 
them  from  entering  my  thought. 


324      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

83-  Q-  When  did  you  begin  to  work  against,  instead 
of  working  with,  Mrs.  Stetson  in  the  twelve 
o'clock  meetings? 
A.  I  commenced  in  the  early  part  of  January  of 
this  year  to  make  notes  of  the  things  that  Mrs. 
Stetson  said  in  the  twelve  o'clock  meetings  in 
order  that  I  might  study  them  to  be  sure  whether 
I  understood  her  aright  or  not — prior  to  that 
time  I  did  not  keep  any  record,  but  since  Janu- 
ary of  this  year  I  began  to  arrange  full  and 
complete  records  of  what  transpired  in  the 
practitioners'  meetings,  and  the  opinions  that 
I  formed  of  the  things  that  went  on  there  were 
based  upon  my  close  and  careful  study  of  those 
things  outside  the  practitioners'  meetings,  as 
well  as  there. 

84.  Q.     When  you  first  began  to  make  those  notes, 

is  that  the  time  that  you  began  to  work  against 
Mrs.  Stetson? 
A.  I  never  worked  against  Mrs.  Stetson — I 
simply  declared  that  many  of  the  things  that 
were  said  there  could  not  operate  through  my 
consciousness,  and  that  I  refused  to  accentuate 
the  things  she  said. 

85.  Q.     What  would  be  the  effect  of  your  making  a 

written  memorandum  of  those  statements — 
would  it  be  to  help  you  to  prevent  those  things 
from  entering  your  consciousness? 
A.  In  order  that  I  might  not  be  mistaken 
myself  as  to  what  did  actually  take  place 
there. 

86.  Q.     I  understand  that  at  some  time  during  your 

attendance  at  the  twelve  o'clocks  you  did  take 
steps  to  do  what  you  call  nullifying,  as  far  as  you 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  325 

were  concerned,  the  effects  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 
treatments? 
A.  I  did  that  mentally,  while  her  audible  treat- 
ments were  being  given — when  she  would  make 
a  statement  that  I  couldn't  stand  for,  I  mentally 
denied  it. 

Instead,  therefore,  of  Mr.  Strickler  being  "controlled" 
by  Mrs.  Stetson,  he  resisted  her  teaching  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  offset  it  as  described  in  his  own 

Self  evident 

testimony.     In  answer  to  a  question  as  to      resistance 
the  effect  of  this  attitude  upon  his  relations  tSer 

to  Mrs.  Stetson  he  testified  as  follows: 

100.  Q.  From  that  time  there  was  a  sort  of  separa- 
tion between  you  and  Mrs.  Stetson? 
A.  There  was  mentally  a  constantly  widening 
separation — Mrs.  Stetson  and  I  advised  to- 
gether after  that  about  many  matters,  but  in 
respect  to  these  matters,  there  was  never  any 
lessening  of  my  objection. 

loi.     Q.     You  did  not  disclose  to  Mrs.  Stetson  at  any 
time  this  condition  of  mental  separation? 
A.     Mrs  Stetson  spoke  of  it  herself  in  the  prac- 
titioners' meetings  a  number  of  times — that  I 
was  not  in  sympathy. 

In  this  as  in  the  other  "Findings"  against  Mrs. 
Stetson,  The  Mother  Church  Directors,  we  Directors 
believe,  failed  signally  to  get  the  spiritual  ^pfrUual 
significance  of  what  was  said  and  done.  import 

Mrs.  M.  Augusta  Aikman,  who  during  a  period  of 
eighteen  years  has  been  closely  associated  Mrs.  Aikman 
with  Mrs.  Stetson  in  Christian  Science  fetching 
practice,  was  asked:  beneficial 


326      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

7.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress? 
A.     It  has  been  most  uplifting  in  every  way. 

8.  Q.     And  what  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  the  moral  and  spiritual  progress 
of  those  of  your  patients  who  came  in  touch 
with  her? 
A.  Absolutely  uplifting.  My  patients  have  all 
had  the  greatest  regard  and  admiration  for  her, 
from  the  understanding  of  Christian  Science. 

9.  Q.     And  has  Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching  and  influence 

been  beneficial  and  helpful  to  them? 
A.     Always;  always,  in  the  very  highest  sense. 

Miss  Ida  C.  Pope  was  asked : 

7.  Q.     State  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  influence  on 

your  moral  and  spiritual  progress. 
A.     The  highest  and  the  best  that  I  have  known. 

8.  Q.     Do  you  mean  by  that,   that  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  has  been  higher  than  the  influence 
upon  yourself  of  any  other  person  that  you  have 
known? 

A.  If  I  may  explain  what  I  mean  this 
capacity  for  Way — that  the  teaching  which  I  have 
good  in-  received   from  her  has  enabled  me  to  do 

creased 

more  good  than  I  have  ever  been  able  to 
do  before. 

9.  Q.     Please  state  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  in- 

fluence on  the  moral  and  spiritual  progress  of 
your  patients  that  have  come  in  direct  personal 
touch  with  her. 
A.     Always  for  the  better. 
ID.  Q.     Please  state  whether  or  not  Mrs.  Stetson  has 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  327 

endeavored  to  obtrude  her  personality  upon  you 
in  such  a  way  as  to  take  your  thought  away 
from  Principle  and  from  Mrs.  Eddy. 
A.    Never. 

11.  Q.     State  whether  Mrs.  Stetson  has  exerted  or 

has  endeavored  to  exert  personal  control  over 
you. 
A.    Never. 

12.  Q.     Has  she  endeavored  to  exert  or  has  she  ex- 

erted personal  control  over  the  members  of  this 
church  with  whom  you  are  well  acquainted? 
A.     Not  to  my  knowledge. 

Mrs.  Amelia  S.  Rowbotham  was  asked  and  answered: 

8.  Q.     What  was  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  influence 

on  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress? 
A.     It  was  to  show  me  how  to  purify  my  thought 
and  to  lift  me  above  the  reality  of  sin,  disease, 
and  death,  and  to  help  me  to  work  out  my  life 
problem  scientifically. 

9.  Q.     What  was  the  effect  of  her  influence  upon  the 

moral  and  spiritual  progress  of  those  of  your 
patients  who  came  directly  in  touch  with  her? 
A.     It  was  the  same  effect ;  to  uplift  them. 


13.     Q.     Please  state  whether  Mrs.   Stetson  exerted 
or  endeavored  to  exert  personal  control  over  you. 
A.     Never.     She  never  did.    She  always     Mrs.  Row- 
advised  me ;  gave  me  a  great  deal  of  her    ^^^^^^  ^is- 

°  °  .  avows 

time,  and  her  love  and  her  patience  and      •■  personal 
her   best   advice,  but  she  never  con-        co^fo' 
trolled  me.     She  always  left  it  to  me  to  decide. 


328      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Miss  Mary  R.  Pinney  was  asked: 

7.  Q.     Please  state  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  in- 

fluence on  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress. 
A.     Mrs.     Stetson's     influence     has    been 
says  influence      wholly   Spiritual   and   beneficial   in   every 
benefidi^^         Way.    She  has  always  upheld  the  highest 
standard  of  moral  and  spiritual  life. 

8.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  on  the  moral  and  spiritual  progress 
of  the  members  of  the  church  with  whom  you  are 
well  acquainted? 
A.     The  very  highest  and  best. 

Mrs.  Mary  H.  Freshman  was  asked: 

9.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  progress? 
A.     It  has  been  marvellous.      It    has    de- 
man  learned       veloped  me  and  brought  me  a  full  under- 
howtowork        standing  of    how    to   work    my    problem 

scientifically  ^         ^    ^ 

scientifically. 

10.  Q.     In  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  Mary 

Baker  Eddy,  as  given  in   Science  and  Health 
with    Key    to    the    Scriptures,    and    her   other 
writings? 
A.     Yes. 

11.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  the  moral  and  spiritual  progress 
of  your  patients  and  of  other  persons  in  First 
Church,  New  York,  with  whom  you  are  ac- 
quainted? 
A.  All  of  the  patients  that  I  have  ever  had  that 
Mrs.  Stetson  has  taken  through  class  have  been 
perfectly  satisfied,  and  have  never  complained 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  329 

to  me  but  that  their  teaching  was  all  that  they 
desired. 

12.  Q.     What  was  the  effect  of  the  influence  on  their 

moral  and  spiritual  growth? 
A.     Well,  as  far  as  I  know,  it  has  been  excellent. 

13.  Q.     Well,   of  those  who  have  remained  in  the 

church  so  that  you  could  follow  their  career, 
what   has   been   the   effect  of   Mrs.  Stetson's 
influence? 
A.     To-day,  as  far  as  I  know,  they  are  growing 
beautifully  in  Science. 

14.  Q.     And  is  that  true  of   the    members  of   the 

church,  in  so  far  as  you  know  of  those  who  are 
and  continue  to  be  associated  with  Mrs.  Stet- 
son and  obedient  to  her  teaching? 
A.     Good. 

Miss  Jessie  T.  Colton  bore  witness  as  follows: 

185.  Q.     Will  you  please   state   to   the   Committee 

whether,  since  you    became   acquainted  with 
Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  you  have  progressed 
or  retrograded  morally  and  spiritually. 
A.     I  have  progressed. 

186.  Q.     What  has  been  the  relation  of  Augusta  E. 

Stetson's  influence  to  that  progress? 
A.     It  has  been  the  means  of  making  the  progress 
— the  means  of  understanding  the  textbook,  in 
order  to  attain  it. 

187.  Q.     Then  the  moral  and  spiritual  progress  which 

you  have  made  since  you  became  a  member  of 
this   church   has   been   due  primarily  to  Mrs. 
Stetson's  influence? 
A.     Yes. 


330      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

1 88.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  one  in  this  church  whose 
Miss  coiton  moral  and  spiritual  progress  has  been  im- 
whriere"""'      P^ded  by  Mrs.  Stetson's  influence? 

hindered  A.       I  do  nOt. 

Mr.  Steuart  C.  Rowbotham  was  asked: 

2.  Q.  Are  you  a  member  of  this  church? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  a  member? 
A.  About  twelve  years.     Nearly  twelve. 

4.  Q.  And  did  you  go  through  class  with  Mrs.  Stet- 

son? 
A.     Yes,  sir. 

5.  Q.     And  what  year? 

A.     Over  eleven  years  ago.     It  will  be  twelve  years 
next  spring. 

6.  Q.     And  how  long  have  you  been  engaged  as  a 

practitioner,  and  given  your  entire  time  to  it? 
A.     Well,  pretty  near  all,  after  that.     I  began  to 
come  into  the  work  in  that  year  of  1897. 

7.  Q.     During    that    time,    have    you    been    closely 

identified  with  Mrs.  Stetson? 
A.     Yes,  sir. 

8.  Q.     What  has  been  the  effect  of  Mrs.  Stetson's 

influence  upon  your  moral  and  spiritual  growth, 
as  a  result  of  that  close  intercourse? 
„   „  A.     It  has  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to 

Mr.  Row- 
botham derived      me. 
incalculable 
benefit 


25.     Q.     Has  Mrs.  Stetson  in  any  manner  ever  as- 
sumed or  attempted   to   assume  any  personal 
control  over  your  actions? 
A.     No,  none  whatever. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  331 

Miss  Antoinette  L.  Ensworth  was  called  as  a  witness 
and  testified: 

100.     Q.     Has  Mrs.  Stetson  ever  attempted  to  control 
your  personal  movements? 
A.     Never. 
loi.     Q.    Have  you  always  felt  perfectly  free  to  do  as 
you  please? 
A.     I  have. 

Miss  Ensworth  was  asked  further: 

107.  Q.     It  has  been  said  that  Mrs.  Stetson  allowed  no 

freedom  of   thought    in    the   practi-      MissEns- 
tioners'  meetings  when  it    was   con-  worth  refutes 

.  attempted 

trary  to  her  thought ;  is  that  true  or  •<  control "  by 
false?  ^"-  ^*"*'°° 

A.     It  is    false.      Everybody  had  freedom   of 
speech  in  those  meetings. 

Mrs.  White's  claim  that  lateness  at  the  practitioners' 
meetings  was  met  with  a  rebuke,  is  offset  by  Miss 
Ensworth's  answer. 

108.  Q.     It  has  been  said  that  unless  the  practitioners 

were  there  on  the  moment  they  were  all  rebuked. 

A.     No,  there  was   no  one  rebuked,  ^ever  rebuked 

I  have  rebuked  myself  for  being  late.     *<"■  lateness 

no.     Q.     State  whether  Mrs.   Stetson  was  right  or 
wrong  in  insisting  on  the  practitioners  being  on 
time. 
A.     I  think  she  was  right. 

"Finding"  four  read: 


332       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

4.     That  Mrs.  Stetson  endeavors  to  obtrude  herself  upon 
Personal         the  attention  of  her  students  in  such  manner  as 
obtrusion        ^q  ^^j-jj  their  attention  away  from  divine  Prin- 
ciple. 

Miss  Margaret  S.  Duncan  was  asked: 

40.  Q,     Have  you  observed  Mrs.  Stetson  obtruding 

her  personality  upon  yourself,   or  any  of  the 
practitioners   or  members   of  this  church, 
Mw^no  ob-*°      ^°  ^^  ^°  turn  them  away  from  Principle,  or 
trusion  from  our  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy? 

A.     Never. 

41.  Q.     And  supposing  that  Mrs.  Stetson's  teachings 

are  properly  followed  by  her  students,  would 
that,  or  would  that  not  connect  them  effec- 
tively with  Principle  and  with  Mrs.  Eddy? 
A.  Her  teaching  would  connect  them  with 
Principle  and  with  Mrs.  Eddy — her  teaching 
properly  followed. 

Miss  Sibyl  M.  Huse  being  questioned  on  the  point 
involved  in  "Finding"  four,  said  as  follows: 

69.  Q.     Has  Mrs.  Stetson  obtruded  her  personality 

upon  you,  so  as  to  turn  you  away  from  Principle 
or  from  our  Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy? 
A.     Never. 

70.  Q.     Has  she  obtruded  herself  upon  you  in  such  a 

way  as  to  in  any  manner  attempt  to  control  your 
personal  movements? 
„.    „  A.     Never.      I    have    been    singularly    free 

Miss  Huse  _  . 

found  perfect       in  my  movcmcnts  in  every  way,  and  have 

ree  om  ^^^  evcn  thought  of  its  being  necessary  to 

consult  her  in  any  personal  matters  whatsoever. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  333 

Mr.  Rowbotham  was  questioned  in  regard  to  the  same 
point  as  follows: 

24.  Q.  Has  Mrs.  Stetson  obtruded  her  personality 
upon  you  so  as  to  turn  you  away  Mr.  row- 
from  Principle   or  from  our   Leader,      ,  botham 

■^  '         denies  any 

Mary  Baker  Eddy?  such  claim 

A.     No,  decidedly  not. 

Mrs.  Catherine  B.  Gillpatrick,  in  her  testimony  before 
the  Committee  of  Inquiry,  answered  as  follows : 

66.  Q.     Has  Mrs.  Stetson  obtruded  her  personality 

upon  you;   has  it   turned   you    away       Mrs. om- 
from  Principle,   or  from  our   Leader,  Patrick 

Mary  Baker  Eddy?  obtusion 

A.     I    answer    that    distinctly    in   the    «=harge  false 
negative. 

67.  Q.     Has  she  attempted  to  control  your  freedom  in 

any  way? 
A.    No. 

68.  Q.     Has  she  delivered  you  from  any  bondage  of 

any  kind  to  which  you  were  previously  subject? 
A.     Yes,  many  times. 

69.  Q.     Do  you  feel  that  she  has  assisted  you  to  ob- 

tain the  freedom  of  the  children  of  God? 
A.     I  do. 

70.  Q.     In  an  increasing  degree? 
A.     Certainly. 

A  statement  that  Mrs.  Stetson  is  alleged  to  have 
made  at  one  of  the  Thanksgiving  services  is  apparently 
made  the  occasion  for  "Finding"  four.  She  was  re- 
ported to  have  said,  "We  are  journeying  onward," 
referring  to  her  students  and  herself,  as  well  as  to  the 


334      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

members  of  the  congregation  present.  "Your  hands 
are  in  mine,  and  mine  in  God's."  Even  if  Mrs.  Stet- 
son did  use  this  expression,  to  those  who  know  how  far 
she  had  advanced  beyond  any  of  her  students  in  matters 
spiritual,  this  mode  of  indicating  the  relation  of  a 
teacher  to  students,  of  which  there  were  many  in  the 
congregation,  would  not  ordinarily  awaken  criticism. 

The  superior  attainments  of  an  instructor,  compared 
with  those  of  his  students,  in  the  scientific  world,  might 
readily  justify  a  professor  in  a  university  in  saying  to  a 
body  of  students,  "We  are  journeying  onward;  your 
hands  in  mine,  and  mine  in  the  hands  of  science,  leading 
us  on  from  truth  to  truth."  Huxley,  Du  Bois,  Rey- 
mond,  or  Ostwald  might  conceivably  have  spoken  thus 
to  their  students  without  any  council  of  scientific  men 
ever  thinking  of  calling  them  to  account  on  the  charge 
of  the  teacher  obtruding  himself  between  his  students 
and  scientific  truth.  In  this  light,  the  absurdity  of  this 
particular  "Finding"  becomes  transparent.  "Find- 
ing" five  is  as  follows: 

5.     That  Mrs.  Stetson  practises  and  teaches  pretended 

Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement  thereof  in 

"  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scrip- 

"treatment"  tures,"  particularly  by  treating  persons  without 

without  their  request  or  consent,  and  by  teaching  a  select 

consent  t       -,         r  1  1  1      i-i  • 

body  of  her  students  to  do  likewise. 

What  is  "pretended  Christian  Science"?  In  "Find- 
ing" five,  the  Board  of  Directors  made  the  statement 
that  by  "treating  persons  without  their  request  or 
consent,  and  by  teaching  a  select  body  of  her  students 
to  do  likewise,"  "Mrs.  Stetson  practises  and  teaches 
pretended  Christian  Science  contrary  to  the  statement 
thereof    in  '  Science    and    Health    with    Key    to    the 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  335 

Scriptures.'  "     This  specification  is  one  of  the  few  found 
in  all  their  claims  and  allegations. 

Did  Mrs.  Stetson  treat  persons  without  their  request 
or  consent?  The  treatment  of  persons  without  their 
request  or  consent,  except  in  certain  specified  ^^^^  ^^^_ 
cases,  such  as  parental  consent  for  children  sent  is  not 
treated,  or  the  consent  of  relatives  for  treating 
one  who  is  incapacitated,  is  undoubtedly  contrary  to 
the  teachings  of  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures. 

What  is  the  nature  of  a  treatment  of  persons  in  Chris- 
tian Science?     A  treatment  assumes  a  mutual,  volun- 
tary relation  between  practitioner  and  patient 
for  the  patient's  benefit.     A  wholly  different ..  t^el^^eU"? 
relation  ensues  when  a  hostile  thought  enters 
into  conflict  with  another  without  the  consent  of  the  one 
attacked.     Unwarranted  attack  assumes   the  respon- 
sibility of  spiritual  mental  defense.     The  relation  calls 
for  a  defensive  response  in  self-preservation. 
That    defensive   response   is   not   treatment     differs  from 
although  it  resists  the  attacking  mentality     ^it'dttllll 
without  its  consent  or  request.     It   is   this 
relation  to  which   Mrs.   Eddy  refers   in  Science  and 
Health,  page  442 : 

Christian  Scientists,  be  a  law  to  yourselves  that  mental 
malpractice  cannot  harm  you  either  when  asleep  or  when 
awake. 

Mrs.  Stetson's  students,  from  the  testimony  which 
they  gave  before  the  Committee  of  Inquiry, 
were  remarkably  clear  on  this  subject.     At  against  maiic© 
least  nineteen  out  of  the  twenty-five  witnesses    ""*  indispen- 

■'  _  sable  right 

who  gave  evidence  at  these   hearings  were 
unanimous    in    recognizing    the     difference    between 


336      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

self-defense  and  treatment  of  another  person.      Mrs. 
Aikman,  for  instance,  was  asked: 

13.  Q.     Do  you  recognize  any  essential  difference, 

Mrs.  Aikman,  between  treating  another  person 
and  defending  yourself  against  aggressive  mental 
malpractice  by  handling  error? 
A.     Certainly. 

14.  Q.     Suppose  another  person  voluntarily  and  of  his 

own  accord  and  without  request  concerns  him- 
self with  a  Scientist's  problem,  does  this  give  the 
Scientist  a  right  to  speak,  when  necessary, 
directly  to  that  person  and  by  name,  in  properly 
defending  himself? 
A.  I  think  so.  I  could  cite  an  incident  here,  that 
I  think  Mrs.  Dam  will  remember,  and  Mr. 
Hatfield.  A  number  of  years  ago  Mrs.  Stetson 
was  called  to  Concord  by  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  it  was 
at  the  time  that  a  good  deal  of  criticism  was  being 
made  against  Mrs.  Stetson  by  the  other  students 
of  Mrs.  Eddy's  here.  When  Mrs.  Stetson  came 
home  from  that  visit,  she  told  a  few  of  us  about  it. 
She  said  that  when  Mrs.  Eddy  told  her  about  the 
things  that  had  been  said  about  her,  she  started 
to  defend  herself,  and  she  then  said:  "Mother, 
if  I  say  what  is  true  about  myself,  about  this, 
you  will  say  it  is  self  -  justification. "  Mrs.  Eddy 
replied:  "No,  my  child,  there  is  a  difference 
between  self -justification  and  self-defense,  and 
you  have  a  right  to  defend  yourself. " 

15.  Q.     Would  you  consider,  that  if  you  were  men- 

tally attacked  by  another  person,  and  you  be- 
came aware  of  the  fact,  you  would  have  a  right 
to  audibly  address  that  person  by  name,  and 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  337 

speak  to  him  or  her  in  the  second  person,  in 
defense  of  yourself? 
A.     I  should  feel  that,  and  I  have  done  it. 

1 6.  Q.     Have  you  heard  Mrs.  Stetson  use  the  name, 

and  speak  directly  to  various  persons  during 
the  practitioners'  meetings? 
A.     Yes,  I  have. 

17.  Q.     State   whether   in   doing   so,    Mrs.    Stetson 

used  these  names  and  spoke  to  these  such  defense 
persons  in  such  a  way  as  to  malprac-    neither  mai- 

^^  practice  nor 

tise  upon  them.  treatment 

A.  Not  at  all. 

18.  Q.  Or  in  such  a  way  as  to  treat  the  persons? 
A.  No,  I  should  not  consider  it  treatment. 

19.  Q.  State  whether  or  not,  in  your  judgment,  Mrs. 

Stetson  in  doing  this  in  the  way  she  did,  was 
making  a  proper  defense  of  herself,  this  church, 
or  the  Cause,  against  malpractice. 
A.     That  is  what  it  was.     She  was  making  a 
defense. 

20.  Q.     Mrs.  Aikman,  from  your  intimate  knowledge 

of  this  church,  and  of  Mrs.  Stetson's  relation  to 
it,  and  remembering  that  most  of  its  membership 
is  composed  of  either  the  students  of  Mrs.  Stet- 
son, or  the  patients  of  her  students,  and  remem- 
bering further  that  most  of  these  people  know 
nothing  about  the  power  of  mental  malpractice 
or  how  to  defend  themselves  against  it, — I  ask 
you  if  Mrs.  Stetson  had  not  done  as  she  did  in  the 
practitioners'  meetings  in  defense,  would  she 
have  fulfilled  her  duty? 
A.  I  don't  think  she  would.  I  think  many  of  the 
people  would  not  be  here  to-day  if  she  had  not 
done  the  work  she  did. 


338     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Here  the  right  of  self-defense  is  clearly  asserted  in  a 
way  that  does  not  admit  of  contradiction. 
Mrs.  Anna  A.  Holden  was  asked: 

22.  Q.  Suppose  a  person  voluntarily  and  of  his  own 
accord  concerns  himself  with  a  Christian  Scien- 
tist's problem,  does  this  entitle  the  Scientist  to 
speak  to  that  person  directly  by  name,  if  neces- 
sary, in  proper  self -protection  and  self-defense? 
A.     Absolutely.     Mrs.   Eddy  insists   upon   that. 

Mrs.  Hoiden's     Very  neccssary  to  defend  one's  self  against 

testimony  on  ,  i  i  r        i 

this  distinction    the  crToneous  thought  of  others. 


24.  Q.     State  whether  or  not  you  have  heard  Mrs. 

Stetson  speak  directly  to  any  person  during  the 
practitioners'  meetings. 
A.     Yes,  I  have. 

25.  Q.     State  whether  in  doing  so  Mrs.  Stetson  used 

these  names  and  spoke  to  these  persons  in  such  a 
way  as  to  malpractise  upon  them. 
A.     Never  to  malpractise  upon  them. 

26.  Q.     State  whether  she  spoke  the  name  and  to  the 

person  in  such  a  way  as  to  treat  the  person. 
A.     No,  not  to  treat  them.     To  protect  herself 
against  the  error  working  through  them. 

Mr.  Arnold  Blome  was  asked: 

20.     Q.     Do   you   recognize   any    difference   between 

treating  another  person  and  defending  yourself 

Mr  Blome     ^g^i^st     aggrcssivc   mental    suggestion    by 

on  mental      Speaking  to  the  person  that  is  the  avenue 

defense  _r  _      .  -> 

of  error  to  yon? 
A.     I  do. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  339 

21.  Q.  Suppose  a  person  voluntarily,  of  his  own 
accord,  concerns  himself  with  a  Scientist's  prob- 
lem,— does  this  entitle  the  Scientist  to  speak  to 
that  person  directly  and  by  name,  in  proper  self- 
protection  and  defense? 
A.  If  we  recognize  the  evil  to  be  impersonal,  and 
the  individual  making  himself  a  channel. 

From  Miss  Pearson's  testimony  the  following  passage 
is  taken  as  pertinent  to  the  point  in  question : 

60.  Q.     Has  a  Christian  Scientist  a   right 

to  speak    directly  to   another  person    makes  clear 
who  sends  aggressive  mental  sugges-    5^*,^^^"^^°^ 
tions  to  him? 
A.     Why  certainly  he  has. 

61.  Q.     Has  a  Christian  Scientist  a  right  to  speak  to 

any  person,  for  instance,  a  judge  who  necessarily 
concerns  himself  with  that  person's  affairs? 
A.  If  a  person  is  injuring  me,  and  I  know  that 
person  is  trying  to  injure  me,  I  have  a  right  to 
take  up  that  person's  name  and  declare  that 
malicious  mortal  mind  has  no  power  to  work 
through  that  person. 

62.  Q.     Does  the  same  rule  apply  where  a  person, 

without  malice,  or  from  necessity  owing  to  his 
position,  voluntarily  concerns  himself  with  your 
affairs;  have  you  a  right  to  speak  to  that  person? 
A.  I  should  not  speak  directly  to  a  person  who 
was  working  ignorantly  or  innocently.  I  should 
declare  that  neither  ignorant  nor  innocent  nor 
malicious  mortal  mind  could  work  through  that 
person. 

63.  Q.     But  if  they  were  sending  aggressive  or  mali- 


340     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

cious  mental  suggestions  to  you,  then  would  you 
speak  directly  to  them? 

A.     Only  as  a  last  resort. 
64.     Q.     Were  you  taught  that  by  Mrs.  Stetson,  or  did 
you  read  that  in  any  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  writings? 

A.     I  have  read  it  in  Retrospection  and  Introspec- 
tion. 

(Witness  reads  from  Retrospection  and  Introspection, 
pp.  63,  64.) 

We  attack  the  sinner's  belief  in  the  pleasure  of  sin,  alias 
the  reality  of  sin,  which  makes  him  a  sinner,  in  order  to 
destroy  this  belief  and  save  him  from  sin;  and  we  attack 
the  belief  of  the  sick  in  the  reality  of  sickness,  in  order  to 
heal  them.  When  we  deny  the  authority  of  sin,  we  begin 
to  sap  it;  for  this  denunciation  must  precede  its  destruction. 


Sin  ultimates  in  sinner,  and  in  this  sense  they  are  one. 
You  cannot  separate  sin  from  the  sinner,  nor  the  sinner  from 
his  sin.  The  sin  is  the  sinner,  and  vice  versa,  for  such  is  the 
unity  of  evil;  and  together  both  sinner  and  sin  will  be  de- 
stroyed by  the  supremacy  of  good.  This,  however,  does  not 
annihilate  man,  for  to  efface  sin,  alias  the  sinner,  brings  to 
light,  makes  apparent,  the  real  man,  even  God's  "image  and 
likeness." 

Now,  I  learned  from  that,  as  well  as  from 
Mrs.  Stetson's  teaching,  that  we  must  attack  the 
sin  and  the  sinner,  because  they  are  one. 
65.  Q.  Have  you  any  other  quotations  on  the  same 
general  line? 
A.  I  have,  in  Science  and  Health,  where  Mrs. 
Eddy  speaks  of  the  mental  assassin. 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  341 

(Witness  reads  from  Science  and  Health,  pp.  444,  445.) 

The  teacher  must  make  clear  to  students  the  Science  of 
heaHng,  especially  its  ethics, — ^that  all  is  Mind,  and  that  the 
Scientist  must  conform  to  God's  requirements.  ^^3^^^  ^g^ns 
Also  the  teacher  must  thoroughly  fit  his  students  against  men- 
to  defend  themselves  against  sin,  and  to  guard 
against  the  attacks  of  the  would-be  mental  assassin,  who 
attempts  to  kill  morally  and  physically.  .  .  .  Teach  the 
dangerous  possibility  of  dwarfing  the  spiritual  understanding 
and  demonstration  of  Truth  by  sin,  or  by  recourse  to  mate- 
rial means  for  healing.  .  .  . 

Christian  Science  silences  human  will,  quiets  fear  with 
Truth  and  Love,  and  illustrates  the  unlabored  motion  of 
the  divine  energy  in  healing  the  sick.  Self-seeking,  envy, 
passion,  pride,  hatred,  and  revenge  are  cast  out  by  the 
divine  Mind  which  heals  disease.  The  human  will  which 
maketh  and  worketh  a  lie,  hiding  the  divine  Principle  of 
harmony,  is  destructive  to  health,  and  is  the  cause  of  disease 
rather  than  its  cure. 

The  foregoing  clearly  teaches  the  duty  of  self-defense 
as  an  essential  feature  of  Christian  Science. 
"Finding"  six  read: 

6.  That  Mrs.  Stetson  attempts  to  control  and  to  injure 
persons  by  mental  means;  this  being  utterly  Attem  ted 
contrary  to  the  teachings  of  Christian  Science.  injury  by 

mental  means 

Against  this  claim  the  testimony  of  one  of  the 
witnesses  opposed  to  Mrs.  Stetson's  views  is  eminently 
in  point.  Miss  Ella  G.  Young,  in  her  testimony  before 
the  Committee  of  Inquiry,  speaking  of  Mrs.  ^^^^  young 
Stetson's  attitude,  testified  as  follows :  refutes  charge 

216.     Q.     And  measuring  her  [Mrs.  Stetson]  by  the 
standard  of  other  Christian  Scientists  whom  you 


342      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

know,  and  considering  the  wrongs  that  have  been 
done  to  her  by  others,  would  you  say  that  she 
has  risen  above  or  fallen  below  the  best  Christian 
Scientist  you  know,  outside  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  in 
the  manifestation  of  divine  forgiveness  and  love 
toward  those  who  have  attempted  to  injure  her? 
A.  I  think  Mrs.  Stetson  has  been  Christlike 
on  that  point.  She  has  been  kind,  and  made 
every  effort,  I  think,  to  be  forgiving. 

In   Miss  Jessie  T.   Colton's  testimony  before  the 
Committee  of  Inquiry,  she  was  asked: 

165.  Q.     Was  it  Mrs.  Stetson's  habit  at  the  twelve 

o'clocks,  in  giving  the  audible  treatment,  to 
Miss  coiton     declare  the  spiritual  facts,  including  her  re- 

describes  Mrs.  _  "^ 

Stetson's         lation  to  God  and  the  relation  of  those  who 
meet^g's"        wcrc  being  protected  by  this  treatment, — 
whether  the  practitioners  or  this  church  in  its 
membership — was  that  her  custom? 
A.     Always. 

166.  Q.     Do  you  ever  remember  Mrs.  Stetson  having 

concluded  her  part  in  the  practitioners'  meetings 
without  doing  that? 
A.     No 

167.  Q.     When   Mrs.   Stetson  handled   error  during 

these  practitioners'  meetings,  and  in  doing  so 
spoke  directly  to  persons,  using  their  names,  did 
she  not,  before  breaking  up  the  meeting,  state 
the  spiritual  facts,  even  in  regard  to  those 
persons  so  directly  addressed? 
A.  Yes;  but  a  treatment  is  always  the  declara- 
tion of  the  truth  and  the  denying  of  the  error 
for  the  one  who  has  requested  the  treatment — 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  343 

the  handling  of  error  in  giving  a  treatment  is 
scientific;  but  when  one  is  attacked  by  error, 
and  defends  oneself,  that  is  not  a  treatment. 
168.     Q.     In  all  of  these  twelve  o'clocks  have  you  ever 
detected  any  resentment  in  Mrs.  Stetson  toward 


any  persons 
A.     No. 


179.     Q.     Do   you    understand    that    Mrs.    Stetson's 
handling  of  error,    where   she    men- 

°  '  Mrs.  stetson 

tioned   the    names  of  these  persons  handled  error 

olden 
Rule 


or  any  others,  was  in  accordance  with  """^^^  Golden 
the  Golden  Rule, — "Do  unto  others 
as  ye  would  have  them  do  unto  you"? 
A.     It  was. 

180.  Q.     Do  you  remember  that  after  the  audible 

treatments  which  Mrs.  Stetson  considered  un- 
usual, because  not  having  been  customary  prior 
to  the  first  of  January  this  year,  that  she  fre- 
quently asked  the  practitioners  whether  they 
would  like  to  be  done  by  as  she  was  then  doing? 
A.     Yes. 

181.  Q.     Did  you  reply  "Yes"  or  "No"? 
A.     I  replied  "Yes." 

182.  Q.     In  every  case? 
A.     Yes. 

183.  Q.     Do  you  wish  this  Committee  to  understand 

that  in  your  judgment  Mrs.  Stetson  complied 
with  the  Golden  Rule  in  the  way  she  handled 
error  in  the  twelve  o'clocks? 
A.     Yes. 

184.  Q.     Every  time? 

A.     Yes;  according  to  the  teachings  of  Christian 
Science,  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 


344     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

On  the  question  of  attempts  to  control  and  injure 
persons  by  mental  means,  presumably  through  the  use 
of  names,  Mrs.  Mary  H.  Freshman  was  asked: 

23-     Q.     You  heard  Mrs.  Stetson  speak  the  name  of 
persons  in  the  practitioners'  meetings,  and 
man  defends   spcak  dircctly  to  them,  I  believe  you  said? 

Mrs.  stetson  ^        y^g 

24.  Q.     State  whether  in  doing  so,  Mrs.  Stetson  used 

these  names  and  spoke  to  these  persons  in  such  a 
way  as  to  malpractise  upon  them. 
A.     No. 

25.  Q.     State  whether  or  not  Mrs.  Stetson,  in  using 

the  names  and  speaking  to  the  persons,   was 
making  proper  defense  of  herself,  this  church, 
and  the  Cause,  in  defending  against  malpractice. 
A.     Yes. 


2^].  Q.  Knowing  Mrs.  Stetson's  relation  to  this 
church,  and  remembering  also  that  the  member- 
ship is  composed  largely  of  her  students;  and 
remembering  also  that  a  large  number  of  these 
people  have  no  knowledge  of  malicious  mental 
malpractice,  or  how  to  defend  themselves  against 
it, — would  Mrs.  Stetson  have  fulfilled  her  duty 

^  ,    . ,       had  she  not  done  just  as  she  did  in  those 

Duty  of  de-  _  / 

fense  against  practitioncrs'  mcctings? 

malpractice  ^        She  WOuld  nOt. 

28.     Q.     Now,  will  you  define  malpractice? 

A.  Mrs.  Eddy  says,  in  Miscellaneous  Writings, 
that  malpractice  is  to  argue  to  harm,  to  destroy  a 
fellow  being,  physically,  morally,  and  spiritually. 
Now,  that,  of  course,  never  was  done.  Then, 
she  says  to  handle  malpractice  and  protect  our- 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  345 

selves  from  its  destructive  forces  we  must  re- 
linquish oiu"  faith  in  evil ;  we  cannot  be  harmed, 
darkened,  nor  misguided  if  we  know  what  is 
at  work,  and  oiu"  power.  We  sometimes  know 
this  by  spiritual  perception,  and  sometimes  it  is 
an  open  attack  through  a  person.  We  must  then 
protect  ourselves  by  spiritualizing  our  thought; 
then  we  can  say,  "John  Smith,  I  come  to  you 
clad  in  the  panoply  of  Love ;  you  come  to  me  in 
the  name  of  Love.  There  is  nothing  but  God, 
good,  and  His  perfect  ideas.  Spiritual  Love  and 
Life  forever  reign,  and  we  are  immortal.  Im- 
personal evil  in  all  its  false  sense  of  hypnotism, 
mesmerism,  animal  magnetism,  or  malpractice 
has  no  mind  to  voice  evil  to  me,  or  make  me 
believe  a  lie.  No  one  can  attack  me  nor  harm 
me;  for  evil  is  neither  person,  place,  nor  thing. 
Love  and  Love's  perfect  work  is  all  there  is." 

Before  the  Committee  of  Inquiry,  on  October  2"], 
1909,  Mrs.  Kate  Y.  Remer  answered  as  follows: 

219.  Q.  During  the  time  that  you  have  been  a 
practitioner  in  this  church,  have  you  had  any 
means  of  knowing  what  the  attitude  towards 
this  church  is  throughout  the  Field  of  Christian 
Science? 
A.     Yes. 

222.     Q.     From  various   quarters,   then,   during   the 
twelve  to  fifteen  years  that  you  have 

1  •       /^t,    •    ^-  o    •  1-  Hostile  atti- 

been  m  Christian  Science,  you  have  tude  toward 
heard  of  this  attitude  so  often  that  it  Fi'^t  church. 

New  York 

has  become  an  accepted  fact  with  you 

that  the  Field  regards  this  church  as  in  error? 


346      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

A.    Yes. 

223.  Q.     What  would  you  consider  the  greatest  cause 

for  the  existence  of  such  a  feeling  throughout 

the  Field? 
Mrs  Remer      ^'     ^  would  Say  it  was  the   same  thought 
lays  it  to  envy     that     crucificd     Jcsus — cnvy    and    jeal- 

and  jealousy 

ousy. 

224.  Q.  What  would  you  say  was  the  channel  of  its 
Newspapers  most  general  distribution  throughout  the 
helped  to  Fields 

poison  the  ^  itJlU. 

^'^'•^  A.     I  should  say  the  newspapers. 

225.  Q.     Supposing  that  this  condition  of  erroneous 

thought  toward  this  church  existed  pretty 
generally  throughout  the  Field,  and  an  article 
was  published  in  the  Christian  Science  Sentinel, 
such  as  that  which  is  to  be  found  in  the  issue 
of  December  5,  1908,  entitled  "Consistency," 
following  a  newspaper  account  of  the  action  of 
this  church  in  regard  to  building  an  overflow 
church, — what  would  be  the  effect  of  such  an 
article  in  either  dispelling  or  extending  and 
intensifying  that  erroneous  attitude  toward 
this  church? 
A.  I  think  it  would  poison  the  whole  Field 
toward  this  church. 

226.  Q.     Would  you  call  this  malpractice  on  First 

Church,  New  York? 
A.     I  certainly  would. 

227.  Q.     Then  you  think  that  wherever  an  erroneous 

thought  toward  this  church  already  existed,  the 
publication  of  that  article  would  intensify  it? 
A.     Yes. 

228.  Q.     ...  Then  take  persons  who  had  not  before 

then  become  subject  to  that  malpractice  upon 


Analysis  of  Seven  Findings  347 

this  church  and  upon  Mrs.  Stetson,  through 
private  circulation  of  error, — what  effect  would 
this  article,  coming  out  in  the  periodicals  of 
Christian  Science  and  with  the  authority  of  the 
editor,  have? 

A.     I  think  it  would  poison  them  against  this 
church. 
229.     Q.     How  would  that  have  to  be  met,  in  order  to 
prevent  this? 

A.  Those  in  charge  of  this  church  would  have 
to  know  how  to  defend  themselves  against  this 
malpractice,  by  handling  animal  magnetism  and 
mental  malpractice. 

This  may  be  regarded  as  a  remarkably  clear  piece  of 
evidence,  as  to  how  malpractising  thought  has  to  be 
met.  It  shows  also  why  attacks  on  First  Church, 
New  York,  were  met  as  they  were  from  within. 

The  simple  facts  in  the  case  of  the  controversy  be- 
tween  First   Church,   New  York,   and  the  Board  of 
Directors,  are,  that  the  branch  church  was 
attacked  publicly  through  the  columns  of  the      New  York! 
ofBcial  organs  of  the  church.     That  attack  attacked  and 

o  ...  defended 

by   editorial   utterances,   prejudicial   to   the 
peace  and  good  standing  of  First  Church,  New  York, 
was  met  by  metaphysical  defense  on  the  part  of  Mrs. 
Stetson  and  the  students  working  with  her. 

From  all  of  the  foregoing  the  reader  can  well  judge 
for  himself  whether  or  not  the  Directors  were  right  in 
judging,  as  in  "Finding"  seven:  "That  Mrs.  Stetson 
has  so  strayed  from  the  right  way  as  not  to  be  fit  for  the 
work  of  a  teacher  of  Christian  Science." 

It  is  evident  that  Mrs.  Stetson  performed  her  duty 
in  handling  scientifically  mental  malpractice. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

SELF-DEFENSE  IN  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  AS 
TAUGHT  BY  MARY  BAKER  EDDY 

There  is  possibly  nowhere  else  in  religious  literature 

a   page   of   testimony   like   that   which   describes   the 

method  of  self-defense  on  the  part  of  Mrs. 

Self-defense     ^  ^  .    .  . 

a  condition  of  otctson  and  the  practitioners  m  their  effort 
peilr*'  to  withstand  unjust  criticism.  The  right  to 
self-defense  is  not  only  fundamental  in  hu- 
man relations,  but  it  is  also  a  primary  dictum  of  our 
spiritual  nature.  The  failure  to  recognize  this  fact, 
allowing  evil  suggestion  to  invade  consciousness,  is  the 
source  of  untold  torment  to  those  who  permit  the  thief 
of  error  to  break  into  the  house  of  their  mentality,  and 
to  rob  it  of  peace  and  possessions. 

Unless  the  Christian  Scientist  knows  how  spiritually 
to  defend  his  mentality  against  assault  from  without, 
there  is  no  possibility  of  the  peace  of  God  dwelling 
therein,  because  he  is  not  found  clothed  with  the  armor 
of  God.  In  fact,  spiritual  mental  self-defense  in  Chris- 
tian Science  is  the  veritable  "whole  armoiu-  of  God" 
divinely  provided  to  defeat  error.  For  want  of  it, 
unrighteous,  unjust,  or  unholy  suggestion  may  steal 
its  way  into  one's  consciousness  and  reverse  the  whole 
contents  by  the  denial  of  Truth ;  but  with  this  defensive 
capacity  well  in  hand,  there  is  no  fiery  dart  of  evil  which 
cannot  be  effectively  turned. 

348 


Self-Defense  in  Christian  Science     349 

In  the  testimony  taken  before  the   Committee  of 
Inquiry,  it  was  made  evident  that  most  of  the  practi- 
tioners who  were  called  as  witnesses  had  a 
clear  distinction  between  mental  self-defense    defense^and 
and  treatment  of  a  person  without  his  or  her      treatment 

.  are  different 

consent.  The  duty  of  meeting  aggressive 
mental  suggestion  had  evidently  been  carefully  taught 
to  them,  as  Mary  Baker  Eddy  directed  should  be  done. 
Their  grasp  of  the  rule  involved  in  the  distinction  is 
clearly  brought  out  in  such  testimony  as  that  of  Mrs. 
Amelia  S,  Rowbotham. 

Mrs.  Rowbotham  testified  as  follows  on  November 
I,  1909: 

19.  Q.     Do  you  recognize  a  difference  between  treat- 

ing another  person,  and  defending  yourself 
against  aggressive  mental  suggestion  by  jy[jg_  r^^_ 
speaking  directly  to  the  person  that  is  botham 
the  avenue  for  the  malpractice?  difference 

A.     Yes.     A  very  great  difference. 

20.  Q.     Have  you  heard  Mrs.  Stetson  speak  directly 

to  any  person  during  the  practitioners'  meetings.'* 
A.  I  have  heard  her  speak  in  self-defense.  Yes,  I 
have  heard  her  speak,  always  in  self-defense. 
Never  unless  it  was  absolutely  necessary, — 
when  she  felt  there  was  a  necessity  for  it. 

21.  Q.     State  whether  in  doing  so,  Mrs.  Stetson  used 

the  names  and  spoke  to  the  persons  in  such  a 
way  as  to  malpractise  upon  them. 
A.     She  spoke  the  names,  but  she  never  mal- 
practised. 

22.  Q.     And  did  she  speak  the  names  and  speak  to 

the  persons  in  such  a  way  as  to  treat  the  persons? 
A.     No;  it  wasn't  a  treatment — it  was  a  defense. 


350      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

23.  Q.  Knowing  the  conditions  confronting  her  and 
this  church,  and  knowing  the  scientific  method 
of  defense  against  malpractice,  state  whether  in 
your  judgment  Mrs.  Stetson  would  have  ful- 
filled her  duty  if  she  had  done  otherwise. 
A.  No,  I  don't  think  she  could  have.  I  think  it 
was  absolutely  necessary  for  her  to  do  what  she 
did. 


What  the  The  Manual  of  The  Mother  Church  spe- 

Manuai  says:  cifically  cnjoins  sclf-dcfense  upon  its  mem- 
Art.  VUl.,  A        •    1 

Sect.  6  bers.     Article  VIII. ,  Section  6,  says: 


It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  member  of  this  Church  to 
defend  himself  daily  against  aggressive  mental  suggestion, 
and  not  be  made  to  forget  nor  to  neglect  his  duty  to  God, 
to  his  Leader,  and  to  mankind.  ,  .  . 

The  argument  was  repeatedly  made  by  Clifford  P. 

Smith,  First  Reader  of  The  Mother  Church,  that  an 

audible   use   of   names   without   a   person's 

Use  of  names  ^  _  '■ 

without  consent,  in  mental  work,  is  malpractice.  The 
question  of  whether  or  not  a  given  mental 
operation  as  related  to  another  is  malpractice  is  by  no 
means  determined  by  the  presence  or  absence  of  the 
name  of  that  other  person.  Any  Christian  Scientist 
who  knows  even  the  elemental  truths  of  the  teachings 
of  Christian  Science  recognizes  that  the  exercise  of 
thought  toward  another,  in  which  the  thinker  has  in 
mind  a  particular  person,  but  does  not  actually  men- 
tion the  name  of  that  person  audibly,  is  in  precisely 
the  same  category  of  mental  relationship  as  if  the  name 
had  been  mentioned  from  the  housetops  or  in  public 
print. 

If  it  be  malpractice  to  "take  up  names  audibly  with- 


Self-Defense  in  Christian  Science     351 

out  consent,"  it  is  also  malpractice  to  hold  in  thought, 
without  mentioning  names,  any  given  person  or  persons, 
against  whom,  without  consent,  a  mental  operation  is 
directed. 

Where  any  person  makes  or  circulates  an  untrue 
statement  giving  such  detail  as  would  cause  the  hearer 
or  reader  of  that  statement  to  apply  it  to  some  particu- 
lar person  or  organization,  the  fact  that  the  name  of 
the  person  or  organization  is  not  mentioned  does  not 
thereby  exonerate  the  person,  making  or  circulating  the 
imtrue  statement,  from  the  guilt  of  malpractice. 

The  fact  is  that  the  determining  criteria  of  malprac- 
tice in  Christian  Science  do  not  lie  within  the  question 
whether  names  are  used  or  are  not  used.  Mrs.  Eddy 
says: 

Every  Christian  Scientist,  every  conscientious  teacher  of 
the  Science  of  Mind-healing,  knows  that  human  will  is  not 
Christian  Science,  and  he  must  recognize  this  in  xeachers  to 
order  to  defend  himself  from  the  influence  of  teach  students 
human  will.  He  feels  morally  obligated  to  open  s®"-*^^*^'^^® 
the  eyes  of  his  students  that  they  may  perceive  the  nature 
and  methods  of  error  of  every  sort,  especially  any  subtle 
degree  of  evil,  deceived  and  deceiving.  All  mental  mal- 
practice arises  from  ignorance  or  malice  aforethought.  It 
is  the  injurious  action  of  one  mortal  mind  controlling  an- 
other from  wrong  motives,  and  it  is  practised  either  with  a 
mistaken  or  a  wicked  purpose  (Science  and  Health,  p.  451). 

It  is  absurd  to  assume  that  a  known  purpose  and 
intent  to  injure  one  should  disarm  him  from  every 
available  means  of  effective  spiritual  mental 

.      .  .  Not  to  bo 

self-defense.  Nothing  in  Christian  Science  used  indis- 
forbids  this.  On  the  contrary,  one  has  only  "immateiy 
to  study  the  analysis  of  evil  which  our  revered  Leader, 


352      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mary  Baker  Eddy,  has  set  forth  in  the  various  editions 
of  Science  and  Health,  to  show  that,  while  she  regards 
it  unsafe  to  resort  indiscriminately  to  defensive  methods, 
there  is  complete  justification  in  meeting  every  attack 
with  divine  love,  the  Word  of  God,  which  annuls  the 
power  of  malicious  animal  magnetism  to  penetrate  the 
armor  of  true  Christian  Scientists,  This  spiritual  men- 
tal defense  protects  the  one  attacked,  and  in  reality 
would  deliver  even  a  mental  assassin  from  impersonal 
evil,  if  his  mind  be  not  closed  entirely  to  the  voice  of 
Truth  and  Love. 

The  Committee  of  Inquiry  had  testimony  bearing 
upon  self-defense  which  illustrates  the  necessity  of 
Defense  a  maintaining  a  spiritually  defensive  mental 
requisite  of     attitudc  as  a  conditiou  of  spiritual  effective- 

ec  iveness  ^^^^  -^  rcHgious  cffort.  This  was  well  brought 
out  in  the  testimony  of  Mrs.  Mary  H.  Freshman,  one  of 
Mrs.  Stetson's  students,  who  was  the  first  to  introduce 
Christian  Science  in  London,  England,  after  having 
received  instruction  from  Mrs.  Stetson  in  New  York 
City,  in  the  early  days  of  her  (Mrs.  Stetson's)  ministry 
here. 

As  a  successful  practitioner  of  over  twenty-two  years' 
standing,  Mrs.  Freshman's  statements  should  have 
special  force  to  all  Christian  Scientists.  At  a  session  of 
the  Committee  of  Inquiry,  held  October  31,  1909,  in 
First  Church,  New  York  City,  Mrs.  Freshman  testi- 
fied as  follows: 

21.     Q.     Do  you  recognize  a  distinction  between  giving 

a  treatment  to  a  person  and  defending  yourself 

against  aggressive  malpractice  working  against 

you  through  another  person? 

A.     Yes.     When  I  give  a  treatment,  the  person 


Self-Defense  in  Christian  Science      353 

allows  me  to  go  into  her  consciousness,  and  I 
would  say,  "You  are  not  sick,'  and  I  use  the 
word  "you;"  but  in  defending  myself  it  would 
be  different.  I  would  recognize  that  whoever  it 
was, — if  it  was  malpractice,  and  I  thought  it  was 
malpractice,  I  would  try  to  get  into  Mrs.  Fresh- 
a    spiritual    consciousness   and  know     °»an  makes 

^  1  distinction 

absolutely    that    there    was  no  such 
person    attacking    me,     and    I    would    know 
that  there  was  no  evil  that  they  could  use. 
22,     Q.     And  would  you  address  them  by  name? 

A.  Well,  it  depends  upon  circumstances.  As 
Mrs.  Eddy  says,  if  it  is  a  mental  assassin,  de- 
fend yourself  against  him.  I  would  say,  "John 
Smith,  I  come  to  you  in  love,  and  clad  in  the 
panoply  of  Love,  hate  cannot  find  me."  Mrs. 
Eddy  said,  years  ago  a  man  came  into  her  pres- 
ence with  a  revolver,  and  she  said  to  him,  "You 
cannot  shoot  me,  God  is  all,"  and  he  dropped 
the  revolver  to  the  floor.  I  don't  think  she 
knew  his  name. 

Captain  Linscott  visited  me  some  time  ago 
on  his  way  to  see  Mrs.  Eddy;  he  was  having  a 
great  deal  to  meet,  as  he  was  at  that  time  the 
Pastor   of   First    Church  in  Denver. 

.         ..  ,_         T-«ii  ^°  instance 

The  reason  of  his  visit  to  Mrs.  Eddy,        from  the 
was  because  he  was  not  able  to  han-        Leader's 

experience 

die  the  malpractice  that  was  keep- 
ing him  from  filling  properly  his  position 
there.  When  he  was  at  my  house  on  his 
way  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  he  was  very  ill.  A  few 
days  later  he  came  back  to  my  house  per- 
fectly healed.  I  said  to  him,  "How  did  she  do  it?" 
He  said,  "She  came  into  the  room,  and  said  to 
23 


354       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

me,  'You  are  drunk  with  animal  magnetism,* 
and  she  shook  me.  She  stood  very  erect  and 
turned  from  me;  uplifting  her  hand,  she  said, 
with  great  force:  'I  see  you,  begone!'  speaking 
audibly  the  name  of  a  man  in  the  West.  She 
further  said  that  if  I  had  understood  and  done 
that,  I  would  not  have  had  to  come  so  far  to  be 
healed."     That  was  a  good  many  years  ago. 

The  distinction  between  mental  malpractice  and  self- 
defense  against  malpractice  is  clearly  taught  in  the 
writings  of  the  Founder  of  Christian  Science, 
Distinction      Mary  Baker  Eddy.     From  the  Founder,  Mrs. 

clear  in  •'  ■' 

Leader's  Stetson  Icamcd  the  true  distinction,  and  in 
tlachings^°*^  a  communication  published  in  a  New  York 
paper  of  November  8,  1909,  she  restates  the 
Principle  as  it  was  taught  by  her  to  the  practitioners  and 
students  in  First  Church,  New  York.  Mrs.  Stetson 
says: 

I  will  give  as  an  illustration  what  I  understand  to  be  the 
difference  between  mental  malpractice  and  "Indispensable 
defence"  or  self-protection  {Science  and  Health,  pp.  451, 
452). 

If  I  felt  sure  that  I  was  being  attacked,  either  ignorantly 
or  maliciously  by  any  person,  I  should  fill  my  thought  with 
the  qualities  of  God,  Truth,  and  Love,  which  alone  render 
one  invincible  to  the  entrance  of  evil  in  any 
explanation  of  form — fear,  doubt,  envy,  malice,  jealousy,  re- 
scientific  vcngc,  and  whatever  proceeds  from  the  so-called 
carnal  mind.  From  this  fortress  of  defense  I 
should  speak  to  the  person,  addressing  him  by  name,  and 
should  declare  God's  omnipotence  and  ever-presence,  and 
that  there  is  no  other  power  nor  presence. 

In  other  words,  I  should  come  to  him  reflecting  Truth 
and  Love,  and  should  declare  that  he  is  God's  image  and 


Self-Defense  in  Christian  Science      355 

likeness,  a  spiritual  being,  perfect  and  immortal.  I 
should  then  speak  to  the  error,  which  might  be  operating 
through  the  human  mind,  for  which  he  has  been  an  avenue. 
I  should  endeavor  to  see  him  as  our  Leader  writes  on  page 
476  of  Science  and  Health,  "Jesus  beheld  in  Science  the 
perfect  man,  who  appeared  to  him  where  sinning  mortal 
man  appears  to  mortals." 

Then  I  should  declare  that  so-called  malicious  animal 
magnetism  in  all  its  phases  and  forms  was  powerless  to  work 
through  his  human  personality  using  him  as  an  avenue  to 
injure  me  or  any  one,  or  to  hinder  the  progress  of  Christian 
Science.  This  could  only  bless  the  corporeal  man,  and  is 
doing  unto  others  what  we  would  be  willing  to  have  others 
do  unto  us.  It  would  heal  the  sick  by  casting  out  the  evil 
thoughts  which  produce  mental  and  physical  disease.  It  is 
the  superiority  of  spiritual  power  over  material  sense,  and  is 
not  malpractice. 

Mental  malpractice  is  the  influence  of  one  so-called  mortal 
mind  over  another,  and  may  be  either  innocent,  ignorant,  or 
malicious. 

Innocent  malpractice:  A  mother  is  often  an  innocent 
malpractitioner  upon  her  child.  With  her  own  thought 
filled  with  the  fear  of  disease  or  accident,  apprehensive  of 
danger  for  her  little  one,  she  produces  these  impressions 
upon  the  child's  mind,  to  be  afterwards  manifested  on  the 
body  in  the  form  of  disease  or  discord. 

Ignorant  mental  malpractice  is  constantly  in  operation 
among  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  power  of  thought,  and 
who  exercise  their  human  wills  to  obtain  that  which  they 
desire. 

Malicious  mental  malpractice  is  any  thought  entertained 
or  expressed  with  intent  to  govern  erroneously  or  to  injure 
another. 

True  Christian  Scientists,  admitting  but  one  Mind, 
striving  to  have  no  other  mind  but  the  Mind  of  Christ,  to 
have  one  God  and  to  love  their  neighbor  as  themselves,  can 
only  bless  all  upon  whom  their  thoughts  rest. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

SUMMARY 

This  record  is  the  result  of  a  sincere  sense  of  duty  to 
speak  the  truth  in  love. 

The  issues  raised  include  five  of  vital  importance 

in    the    perpetuation    of    genuine    Christian 

Vital  issues:    Scicncc.     Thcv  havc  come  to  the  front  in 

Church  gov-  -         .    .  ,  ,         .  , 

ernmentand  this  era  of  spintual  awakcning  because  they 
telcWng  ^^®  inevitable  in  the  application  of  Truth,  as 
it  is  in  Christian  Science,  to  the  conditions 
of  this  age.  Taken  collectively  they  form  a  declara- 
Deciaration  tion  of  fundamentally  inherent  rights.  These 
of  rights        issues  are : 

I.  The  right  of  branch  churches  to  local  self- 
Right  of  local  government  as  guaranteed  to  them  by  the 
self-govern-    Manual  of  The  Mother  Church. 

inent  .   .         .   , 

2.  The  right  of  individual  spintual  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scriptures  and  of  Science  and 
Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures^  and  the  other 
writings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 
3.  The  right,  as  taught  by  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  in  the 
spirit  of  love,  directly  to  address  persons  in  self- 
T,-  vx  .    «    defense  against  mental  attack  by  suggestion 

Right  of  self-  °  •'  °° 

defense         Or  othcrwise.     We  have  ample  documentary 
against  attack  ^^.^^^^^   in   Mrs.  Eddy's  own  handwriting 

that  this  method  of  spiritual  mental  defense  was 
taught  by  her. 

356 


Summary  357 

4.  The   right  of   every  one  to   a  fair   trial,  with  full 

specifications    of    any    charges    or    complaints, 
including  the  nature,  times,  and  places 
of  the  acts  complained  of,  and  ample     fair  trial  on 
time  to  examine  the  same;    and  the         definite 

charges 

further  right  to  be  confronted  by 
and  to  cross-examine  the  witnesses  in  person, 
and  not  to  be  tried  simply  by  affidavit.  Also 
the  right  of  exemption  from  discipline  on  any 
question  of  adherence  to  teaching  or  practice, 
pending  the  adjudication  by  a  fair  trial  of  the 
person  on  the  issues  raised. 

5.  The    right    and  duty  to    maintain    the    spiritual 

purity,  sublimity,  and  healing  power  of  genuine 
Christian  Science,  thereby  averting  jug,it  „, 
the    peril  of   this   denomination's  be-     maintaining 

spiritual 

coming  a  mere  sect,  like  many  another  purity  and 
which  has  perished  from  loss  of  vital-  *"*'"" 

izing  Truth  and  Love. 

It  will  appear  that  these  issues  involve  the  essential 
aspects  of  church  government  and  of  divine  metaphysics 
or  spiritual  teaching. 

On  the  question  of  church  government  our  beloved 
Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  has  instructed  us  in  the 
Manual  of  The  Mother  Church: 

Article  I.  Duties  of  Church  Officers.  Sect.  9.  Law 
constitutes  government,  and  disobedience  to  the  laws  of 
The  Mother  Church  must  ultimate  in  annulling  ^^^  ^^  ^^ 
its  Tenets  and  By-Laws.  Without  a  proper  disregarding 
system  of  government  and  form  of  action,  na-  By-^awa 
tions,  individuals,  and  religion  are  unprotected;  hence  the 
necessity  of  this  By-Law  and  the  warning  of  Holy  Writ: 
"  That  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  prepared 


358      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

not  himself,  neither  did   according  to  his   will,    shall  be 
beaten  with  many  stripes."  .  .  . 

The  reader  will  be  enabled,  from  the  facts  herein 
presented,  to  determine  for  himself  whether  or  not  The 
Mother  Church  Directors  have  upheld  the  By-Laws  as 
set  forth  in  The  Mother  Church  Manual — the  consti- 
tution of  this  Church.  Because  we  have  seen  and 
understood  the  danger  so  clearly  pointed  out  by  Mrs. 
Eddy,  that  "disobedience  to  the  laws  of  The  Mother 
Church  must  ultimate  in  annulling  its  Tenets  and  By- 
Laws, "  and  because  also  of  the  spiritual  significance  of 
the  issue  involved  in  these  events;  therefore,  we  have 
been  impelled  to  prepare  and  publish  this  Record. 

In  their  spiritual  aspect  the  issues  lie  still  deeper. 
Spiritual  heal-  Thcy  involvc  the  ultimate  question  of  perpet- 
ing  shall         uating   and   developing    in   its   purity   and 

survive 

effectiveness  that  spiritualization  of  thought 
which  finds  expression  in  the  divine  healing  power  as  the 
essential  characteristic  of  Christian  Science,  as  taught 
by  its  Discoverer  and  Founder,  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

This  Record  further  shows  that  by  virtue  of  loyal 
obedience  to  the  teachings  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy  the 

achievements  of  this  branch  church,  First 
brought  spiri-  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  New  York  City, 
tuai  power  j^^^^  through  many  years  of  constant  growth, 
given  convincing  proof  of  its  power  to  meet  human 
needs,  by  an  unparalleled  record  of  spiritual  healing; 
and  that  it  therefore  demonstrated  the  correctness  of 
its  understanding  of  her  teachings. 

It  must  be  equally  evident  that  these  abundant  results 

were  primarily  due  to  the  spiritual  teaching 
whom  honor  and  guidance  of  one  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  loyal 
'^'^"^"  students,  Mrs.  Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D., 
by  whom,  with  others,  this  branch  church  was  organized. 


Summary  359 

It  was  she  who  taught  its  classes;  instructed  these 
successful  practitioners  in  genuine  Christian  Science; 
and  developed  its  healing  ministry  from  the  very 
beginning  of  the  Cause  in  this  city  to  which  she  was 
sent  by  the  Leader  herself  for  that  express  purpose. 
"Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits"  (Matt,  vii.,  16). 


CHAPTER  XXX 

DEFENSE  OF  SPIRITUAL  FACTS  IN  DIVINE  LAW 
AND  ORDER 

For  whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in  my  name, 
because  ye  belong  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  not  lose  his 
reward. — Mark  ix,,  41. 

For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness. — 
Romans  i.,  18. 

We  live  in  an  age  of  Love's  divine  adventure  to  be  All-in-all.  .  .  . 
.  .  .  The  burden  of  proof  that  Christian  Science  is  Science  rests  on 
Christian  Scientists. — The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  and  Miscel- 
lany, p.  158. 

The  general  thought  chiefly  regards  material  things,  and  keeps  Mind 
much  out  of  sight.  The  Christian,  however,  strives  for  the  spiritual; 
he  abides  in  a  right  purpose,  as  in  laws  which  it  were  impious  to  trans- 
gress, and  follows  Truth  fearlessly, — The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
and  Miscellany,  pp.  159,  160. 

As  Principal  of  the  New  York  City  Christian  Science 
Institute  and  in  recognition  of  the  scientific  stand  for 
immortality  and  spiritual  mental  defense  against 
mental  malpractice,  which  sixteen  advanced  Christian 
Science  practitioners  have  understandingly  maintained, 
I  feel  morally  obligated  to  endorse  and  commend  their 
unswerving  adherence  to  the  spiritual  facts  of  being  and 
the  scientific  demonstration  of  divine  metaphysics  or 
Christian  Science  Mind-healing  as  taught  by  Mary 
Baker  Eddy,  the  Discoverer  and  Founder  of  Christian 
Science. 

360 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  361 

There  are  hundreds  of  my  students  in  New  York 
City  and  throughout  the  world  and  also  many  Christian 
Scientists  in  the  Field  who  have  risen  to  the  under- 
standing and  demonstration  of  the  spiritual  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Holy  Bible  and  the  textbook  of  Christian 
Science,  Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures^ 
by  Mary  Baker  Eddy. 

Since  my  name  was  dropped  from  the  roll  of  member- 
ship in  The  Mother  Church — my  license  to  teach  and 
practise  Christian  Science  was  revoked  and  I  was 
"forbidden  to  undertake  the  work  of  a  teacher"  and 
practitioner  of  Christian  Science, — repeated  inquiries 
from  the  Field  have  come  to  me  as  to  the  facts  regard- 
ing my  version  of  the  case,  since  but  one  side  had  been 
presented.  I  acceded  to  these  demands  and  stated 
the  facts  of  the  controversy  in  a  volume  entitled 
Reminiscences,  Sermons,  and  Correspondence,  published 
by  Messrs.  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons. 

In  that  book  of  over  twelve  hundred  pages  the  justice 
of  the  charge  made  against  me  by  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors of  The  Mother  Church  of  teaching  ''pretended 
Christian  Science"^  is  left  to  the  reader  to  decide. 

Five  years  have  elapsed  since  the  beginning  of  the 
disturbed  conditions.  During  that  time  I  have  not 
taken  advantage  of  autograph  letters  of  my  Leader's 
endorsement  of  me  as  a  teacher  and  demonstrator  of 
divine  metaphysics  or  Christian  Science.  I  have 
waited  on  God  to  vindicate  me  to  the  world  in  His  own 
time  and  way,  which  I  have  every  evidence  that  He 
has  now  done. 

I  now  feel  that  I  should  no  longer  withhold  from 
Christian  Scientists  the  proofs  I  have  of  Mary  Baker 
Eddy's  sanction  of  my  spiritual  interpretation  of  her 

*  See  page  54. 


362     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

teaching  and  her  faith  in  my  ability  to  demonstrate 
the  power  of  spiritual  Mind-healing,  and  to  defend  true 
Christian  Science  as  taught  by  her. 

During  the  past  five  years  of  continued  denunciation 
of  my  teaching  and  practice  by  the  constituted  author- 
ities of  the  material  organization,  as  reported  by  the 
Field,  I  have  withheld  this  testimony  of  our  revered 
Leader  imtil  all  had  been  tested  as  to  their  faith  and 
understanding  of  genuine  Christian  Science.  Those 
who  met  and  overcame  material  concepts  and  adhered 
strictly  to  the  spiritual  facts  of  being,  as  taught  by  Mrs. 
Eddy, — who  were  willing  to  suffer  with  Christ  that 
they  might  reign  with  him, — these  rose  to  the  spiritual 
apprehension  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  writings,  and  are  building 
on  a  "wholly  spiritual  foundation"  {Christian  Science 
Sentinel,  vol.  xi.,  p.  390).  They  are  demonstrating 
genuine,  operative  Christ  Mind-healing.  As  a  reward 
for  their  intelligent  defense  of  the  Christianity  of 
Christian  Science,  which  Mrs.  Eddy  has  enjoined  me  to 
perpetuate,  I  am  publishing  these  autograph  excerpts 
from  a  few  of  her  letters  to  me. 

Years  ago  the  pioneer  students  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy 
took  up  the  cross  and  began  the  demonstration  of 
spiritual  sense  over  the  so-called  material  senses.  They 
healed  the  sick  by  destroying  the  false  claim  of  animal 
magnetism  or  the  so-called  carnal  mind,  which  is  the 
foundation  of  all  discord  physical  and  mental.  As 
they  followed  the  teachings  of  their  God-inspired 
Leader,  Mary  Baker  Eddy,  their  spiritual  power  in- 
creased ;  followers  were  added  to  the  Cause  of  Christian 
Science;  churches  arose  in  every  part  of  the  world, 
and  prosperity  in  Truth  was  manifested  in  Israel  after 
the  Spirit. 

As  Truth  made  Her  authoritative   demands  upon 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  363 

Christian  Scientists,  some  rose  to  spiritual  heights  of 
demonstration  over  materiah"ty,  others  resisted  the 
requirements  of  Christ,  and  fell  back  into  the  material 
senses,  verifying  the  Scripture,  I  John  ii.,  19: 

They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us;  for  if 
they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued 
with  us:  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made  mani- 
fest that  they  were  not  all  of  us. 

Mrs.  Eddy  refers  to  this  phase  of  mortal  mind  in  the 
following  words: 

Jesus  sent  forth  seventy  students  at  one  time,  but  only 
eleven  left  a  desirable  historic  record.  Tradition  credits 
him  with  two  or  three  hundred  other  disciples  who  have 
left  no  name.  "Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen." 
They  fell  away  from  grace  because  they  never  truly 
understood  their  Master's  instruction  {Science  and  Health, 
p.  27). 

Gradually  it  became  apparent  that  materiality  and 
reversal  of  divine  metaphysics  were  creeping  into  the 
ranks  of  Christian  Science.  Love  of  ease,  in  personal 
sense,  pride  of  place  and  power,  and  an  unwillingness 
to  handle  the  claim  of  malicious  animal  magnetism, 
manifested  in  self-love,  self-will,  self-justification,  the 
lust  of  the  fleshly  mind,  and  the  pride  of  material 
existence,  with  their  earthward  gravitation,  were  evi- 
dent and  Christian  Science  Mind-healing,  with  many, 
dropped  to  the  level  of  so-called  mental  healing  on  a 
human  will  basis. 

Of  Jesus'  followers  it  was  said,  "Many  are  called, 
but  few  are  chosen."  Of  Mrs.  Eddy's  students  and 
followers   it    may  also   be   said,  few   have   been   able 


364      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

to  stand  every  day  in  the  front  of  battle  and  with 
the  two-edged  sword  of  Truth — spiritual  thought-force 
— face  the  enemy  of  good,  and  rise  superior  to  the  so- 
called  pains  and  pleasures  of  the  discordant  mortal 
belief. 

The  God-inspired — the  true  Christian  Scientist — is 
willing  to  rise  with  Christ  through  the  abnegation  of 
human  personality  and  the  sufferings  which  destroy 
the  fleshly  mind  and  restore  the  "dominion"  of  the 
Christ-mind  over  sin,  sorrow,  and  death.  Mrs.  Eddy 
says: 

In  the  dark  hours,  wise  Christian  Scientists  stand  firmer 
than  ever  in  their  allegiance  to  God.  Wisdom  is  wedded 
to  their  love,  and  their  hearts  are  not  troubled  {Miscel- 
laneous Writings,  pp.  276,  277). 

Those  who,  during  the  testing  time,  have  fallen  away 
from  Mrs.  Eddy's  spiritual  teaching,  Im^e  the  weak  and 
the  vacillating  who  also  become  the  opponents  of  good. 
Throughout  the  Christian  Science  movement,  the  war- 
fare between  Truth's  exponents  and  demonstrators, 
and  error's  mouthpieces,  who  adhere  to  material  con- 
cepts of  spiritual  facts,  is  described  in  the  following 
words  of  Mrs.  Eddy: 

Whosoever  proclaims  Truth  loudest,  becomes  the  mark 
for  error's  shafts.  The  archers  aim  at  Truth's  mouthpiece; 
but  a  heart  loyal  to  God  is  patient  and  strong.  Justice 
waits,  and  is  used  to  waiting;  and  right  wins  the  everlasting 
victory  {Miscellaneous  Writings,  p.  277). 

For  twenty-five  years  Mrs.  Eddy  cooperated  with 
me  in  the  work  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist, 
New  York  City.     During  that  time  she  publicly  en- 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  365 

dorsed  the  scientific  demonstration  made  by  me  and 
my  students  and  members  of  my  church.  She  has 
continued  to  cooperate  in  her  spiritual  influence  as 
impersonal  idea,  while  I  build  on  a  "wholly  spiritual 
foundation."^ 

I  am  asked,  why  do  I  stand  so  imflinchingly  for  my 
convictions  and  teaching?     I  reply: 

I.  Because  I  believe  Mrs.  Eddy's  written  and  spoken 
statements  to  me  to  be  "the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth."  Any  statement  attributed 
to  her  that  has  appeared  over  her  name  and  which 
denies  or  contradicts  her  statements  to  me,  that  were 
written  in  her  own  handwriting  and  which  covered  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years,  I  do  not  believe. 

Just  before  the  beginning  of  the  controversy,  engen- 
dered by  the  opponents  of  good,  Mrs,  Eddy  wrote  me 
asking  if  I  were  willing  to  come  out  from  the  material 
world  and  be  separate. 

My  reply  was  that  I  had  really  never  participated  in 
the  pleasures  and  social  functions  of  the  material  world 
since  I  came  into  Christian  Science,  but  that  all  my 
time  had  been  devoted  to  preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
healing  the  sick,  and  reforming  the  sinner.  That  the 
joy  and  peace,  health,  strength,  and  prosperity  in 
Truth  which  I  derived  from  serving  God  and  hu- 
manity had  been  vastly  more  than  I  had  ever  experi- 
enced when  I  participated  in  the  religious  ceremonies 
and  social  functions  of  the  material  world,  or  false 
mentality. 

I  also  replied,  that  I  thought  I  was  quite  ready 
to  follow  her  example  and  rise  to  more  impersonal 
Christ-mind  healing.  This  answer  brought  forth  the 
following  letter: 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  volume  xi.,  page  390 


366       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Pleasant  View, 

Concord,  N.  H.  July  20,  07. 

My  darling  Student^ 

Your  dear  letter  assuring  me  of  your  compliance  with 
the  strict  demand — "Come  out  from  the  world  and  be  \^e 
separate" — in  the  sense  of  Science — comforts  me.  O  for  a 
closer  clearer  nearer  view  of  the  divine  Science  of  being  that 
we  all  may  be  perfect  even  as  our  Father  the  Principle 
thereof  is  perfect  This  we  must  be  in  order  to  be  Christian 
Scientists 

True  Christian  Scientists  realize  to-day  that  they 
must  come  out  from  the  material  world- worshippers, 
if  they  would  gain  the  spiritual  power  (the  Mind  of 
Christ)  which  will  deliver  from  sin,  disease,  and  death, 
and  bestow  health,  holiness,  and  immortality. 

2.  Because  Mrs.  Eddy  asked  me  to  stand  by  her 
during  her  "crucifixion"  and  not  yield  to  the  attempts 
of  the  evil  one — malicious  mortal  minds  arrayed  against 
her — to  turn  me  away  from  her ;  thus  looking  to  me  to 
defend  genuine,  legitimate  Christian  Science,  which  she 
had  suffered  and  struggled  to  bequeath,  in  its  purity,  to 
humanity.     Mrs.  Eddy  wrote  me: 

^  (Do  not  allow  the  evil  one  in  your  midst  to  turn  you  away 
from  me  in  this  hour  of  crucifixion,  or  history  will  repeat 
itself,  and  Christian  Science  will  once  more  be  lost  as 
aforetime 

The  leading  students  must  not  allow  this  attempt  of  the 
enemy  to  overcome  them,  and  you  yield  to  it!  The  lies 
that  are  told  about  me  or  what  I  say  of  you  are  not  worth 
your  notice  nor  mine 

3.  Because,  from  the  first,  I  discerned  that  Mrs. 
Eddy  was  the  God  anointed  of  this  age  to  lead  human- 

^  See  pages  377,  378.  'See  pages  379,  380. 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  367 

ity  out  of  sin,  sickness,  and  death,  and  to  demonstrate 
her  teachings,  by  fulfilHng  the  law  of  Love,  which 
conquers  death.  I  recognized  her  as  the  "present 
highest  idea  of  love."     She  assured  me  that 

^ ...  by  adhering  to  His  lonely,  present  highest  idea  of 
love  you  will  hold  to  its  Principle  and  be  safe  O !  I  thank 
Him,  love  Him,  and  love  my  Augusta. 

Lovingly  and  everlastingly  yours 

M  B  Eddy 

In  this  letter  she  referred  to  herself  as  idea,  not 
physique.  It  is  by  perceiving  and  following  the  spirit- 
ual idea,  or  man,  which  leads  us  to  Principle,  that  we 
are  safe  for,  "Principle  and  its  idea  is  one"  {Science  and 
Health,  p.  465). 

4.  Because,  nothing  could  change  my  confidence 
in  the  wisdom,  Christly  compassion,  and  divine  love 
which  constituted  her  a  spiritual  Leader  and  demon- 
strator of  divine  Mind,  Love.    Let  me  quote  her  words: 

Pleasant  View  Concord. 
N.  H. 

My  darling  Student^ 

I  have  a  few  moments  to  myself  and  my  heart  turns  to 
you,  with  such  gratitude  for  your  strength  in  carrying  out 
measures  so  important  to  the  cause,  that  I  must  tell  you 
how  much  I  love  you  and  that  all  of  earth  and  hades  could 
never  blind  me  to  this  fact. 

No  student  no  being  on  earth  can  change  my  true  sense 
of  an  individual.  No  matter  what  is  said  to  me  it  cannot 
move  me 

Therefore  no  argument  possible  to  the  carnal  mind 
could  induce  me  to  believe  that  Mrs.  Eddy  would 
change  her  concept  of  me. 

==  See  page  381,  » See  page  382. 


368      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

Mr.  Archibald  McLellan,  in  an  editorial  entitled 
"None  Good  but  One"  {Christian  Science  Sentinel,  July 
31,  1909),  says: 

Mrs.  Eddy  teaches  nothing  in  private  that  is  not  set 
forth  in  her  books,  and  thousands  of  her  students  will 
attest  this.^ 

In  refutation  of  this  statement  by  Mr.  McLellan  I 
quote  the  following  extract  from  one  of  Mrs.  Eddy's 
letters  to  me: 

* .  .  .  come  directly  to  me  I  must  tell  you  something  about 
mental  practice  that  can  not  be  written  and  involves  all 
for  time  and  eternity 

With  great  love  to  you 

Ever  thine 

M  B  G  Eddy 
Come  without  fail 

Whatever  is  attributed  to  Mrs.  Eddy,  and  is  the 
opposite  of  her  teaching  and  character,  I  immediately 
discredit.  Her  Directors,  or  in  other  words,  those 
whom  she,  as  Leader,  directs  to  carry  on  the  spiritual 
work  in  Christian  Science  are  her  Christian  followers, 
who  respond  to  her  divine  influence  as  impersonal  idea, 
and  these,  under  the  operation  of  Spirit,  which  she 
reflects,  move  humanity  outward,  onward,  upward, 
out  of  the  thraldom  of  materialit}^  the  effects  of  which 
are  sin,  sickness,  and  death.  They  rise  with  Christ 
into  the  understanding  of  man's  relation  to  eternal 
Life  and  Love  and  their  radiation  in  idea — spiritual 
man.     These  Mrs.  Eddy  directs. 

They  are  obedient  to  God  and  His  impersonal  repre- 
sentative to  this  age,  our  revered  Leader,  Mary  Baker 
Eddy. 

*  See  page  136.  '  See  page  383. 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  369 

Pleasant  View, 

Concord,  N.  H.,  April  20 

My  precious  Student,* 

We  always  unite  on  one  point,  viz.,  that  no  supposed 
power  can  ever  separate  the  eternal  friendship  and  Chris- 
tian love  that  exists  between  me  and  you — 

With  oceans  of  love 

M  B  G  Eddy 

The  following  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  will  solve  the 
question  as  to  why  I  did  not  unite  with  the  local 
churches? 

Pleasant  View 

Concord  N,  H,  March  21, 
1905. 
My  precious  Student:^ 

Yes,  you  are  conscious  of  God's  care  and  love;  and  that 
I  will  stand  by  you,  will  warn  and  comfort  you  and  help 
you  onward  and  upward.  ...  Be  patient  humble  loving 
full  of  faith  and  good  works  and  all  will  be  well  with  thee 
Be  of  good  cheer  darling,  you  are  supported  by  a  strong 
arm, — your  students  are  loyal.  Now  take  my  advice. 
Do  not  counteract  any  movement  for  churches  or  for  the 
unity  of  two  in  one — even  if  it  seems  best  to  do  so — but 
let  the  students  learn  from  experience,  and  God  direct 
them.  You  are  entrenched,  and  had  better  be  left  out  than 
mixed  with  what  cannot  mix.  So  be  wise  and  wait  on  God 
and  He  will  direct  thy  path. 

Lovingly  faithfully  thine 

Mary  Baker  Eddy 

At  this  time  I  had  to  meet  severe  condemnation  from 
the  local  Christian  Scientists  which  soon  spread  through- 
out the  Field  because  I  would  not  unite  in  the  proposed 
movement  made  by  the  churches,  all  of  which  were  the 
outcome  of  schisms. 

'  See  page  384.  "  See  pages  385-387. 

24 


370      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

I  had  written  to  Mrs.  Eddy  telling  her  that  if  it  were 
her  desire  I  would  unite  with  them.  Later,  after  the 
Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  had  decided  that  I 
was  unfit  to  undertake  the  work  of  a  teacher  and  prac- 
titioner of  Christian  Science,  I  was  glad  to  see  the  will- 
ingness of  these  churches  to  unite  with  each  other  after 
their  long  separation,  and  I  hoped  that  they  might 
finally  demonstrate  "unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace"  (Ephesians  iv.,  3).  There  is  no  unity  except 
in  spiritual  cooperation.  Later,  Mrs.  Eddy  approved 
the  union  of  those  churches  in  the  following  words: 

This  proof  that  sanity  and  Science  govern  the  Christian 
Science  churches  in  Greater  New  York  is  soul  inspiring 
{The  First  Church  of  Christ.  Scientist,  and  Miscellany,  p.  363). 

Schisms,  imagination,  and  human  beliefs  are  not  parts 
of  Christian  Science;  they  darken  the  discernment  of 
Science;  they  divide  Truth's  garment  and  cast  lots  for  it 
(The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  and  Miscellany,  p.  206). 

Those  of  my  students  who,  with  me,  were  ' '  entrenched ' ' 
in  spiritual  understanding  and  demonstration  stood 
firmly  on  the  rock,  Christ. 

The  extract  which  follows  is  from  an  article  written 
by  me  and  published  in  The  Independent,  October  9, 
1913: 

In  case  your  readers  may  be  in  doubt  as  to  the  meta- 
physical position  which  I  occupy,  and  the  twentieth 
century  student  of  divine  metaphysics  be,  for  a  while, 
misled,  I  feel  that  I  would  not  be  true  to  the  desire  and 
efforts  of  Mrs.  Eddy  to  establish  Christian  Science  in 
its  "orderly"  line  of  demonstrators  of  Truth, if  I  did  not 
state  the  scientific  fact  in  regard  to  my  relation  to  my 
church,  which  her  words  authorize  me  to  defend.     I 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  371 

therefore  am  moved  to  place  in  your  hands  an  extract 
from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  written  to  one  of  the 
former  Directors  of  The  Mother  Church  at  the  time 
she  gave  her  Church  the  name  in  the  deed,  "Mary 
Baker  G.  Eddy's  Church,  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  Boston,  Massachusetts."  The  entire  letter 
in  Mrs.  Eddy's  handwriting  is  in  my  possession,  the 
part  which  bears  directly  on  the  subject  being  repro- 
duced below. 

'  One  thing  in  my  haste  was  forgotten,  namely,  the  des- 
signation  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ  Scientist  as  my 
church.  The  question  will  be,  is,  asked  whose  church  is  it? 
We  cannot  say  it  is  Mr.  Herring's  or  the  Board  of  Directors 
church,  for  it  surely  is  not.  It  was  my  church  in  the  begin- 
ning as  much  as  Mrs.  Stetson's  church  is  hers.  We  must 
be  orderly  in  these  things  or  it  will  lead  into  difficulties 
that  you  do  not  see  but  /  do  see  them 

Lest  there  already  has  arisen  a  question  as  to  whom 
The  Mother  Church  belongs,  I  am  convinced  that  this 
is  the  psychological  moment  in  which  her  words  should 
decide  the  question,  since  it  has  been  raised,  "to  whom 
is  due  credit  for  the  achievement  of  a  visible  demon- 
stration of  adherents  to  Christ's  Christianity,  and  an 
edifice  in  which  the  people  assemble  to  worship  the 
Father  in  spirit  and  truth." 

Christ  Jesus  said:  "Upon  this  rock  [spiritual  under- 
standing of  the  allness  of  divine  Mind,  and  the  nothing- 
ness of  the  human  mind  and  of  matter]  I  will  build  my 
church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against 
it"  (Matthew  xvi.,  18).  Christ  Jesus  was  authority 
for  Mrs.  Eddy's  claim  to  her  own  demonstration,  viz., 
a  body  of  adherents  to  Christ's  teachings,  and  a  church 

'  See  pages  388-390. 


372      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

edifice  or  symbol  of  the  Church  Triumphant.  This 
demonstration  was  the  result  of  her  faithful  obedience 
to  the  law  of  God  as  taught  by  Christ  Jesus,  which 
builds  character  on  a  "wholly  spiritual"'  basis. 

Mrs.  Eddy  is  the  head  of  the  Christian  Science  move- 
ment or  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  symboHzed  in  The 
Mother  Church  edifice,  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  Boston,  and  her  followers,  who  are  loyal  to 
Principle,  God,  and  Christ's  teaching. 

Christ  Jesus  recognized  his  demonstration  of  a  church 
or  body  of  followers  whom  he  taught  to  build  on  the 
rock  of  spiritual  understanding  when  he  said:  "I  have 
manifested  Thy  name  unto  the  men  which  Thou  gavest 
me  out  of  the  world"  (John  xvii.,  6). 


The  following  letters  and  extracts  have,  under  fear- 
ful attempts  of  the  enemy  of  good  to  reverse  and  mate- 
rialize Christian  Science  Mind-healing,  strengthened  my 
endeavors  to  be  faithful  to  the  trust  and  confidence 
reposed  in  me  by  my  revered  Leader,  Mrs.  Eddy. 

Augusta,  darling;* 

What  shall  I  say  to  a  good  child  like  you — to  a  Chris- 
tian Scientist  such  as  you?  this — well  done  good  and 
faithful  thou  shalt  be  made  ruler  over  many  things  enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  doing  good 

Do  not  you  feel  happy  in  clothing  her  who  loves  you 
prays  for  you  watches  for  you  waits  for  you  to  be  with 
her  here  and  in  Heaven 

Yes  darling  child  mother  appreciates  your  footsteps  of 
the  flock  whom  the  great  Shepherd  are  calling  who  hear 
and  follow  and  none  shall  be  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  his 
hands 

'  Christian  Science  Sentinel,  vol.  xi.,  p.  390.         '  See  pages  391-393. 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  373 

You  will  hear  from  me  soon  through  the  newspapers  on 
the  Episcopal  Congress  It  will  help  you  dear  one  to  meet 
the  armaments  of  concealed  warfare 

Again  darling  I  say  mother  loves  you  and  appreciates 
your  scientific  demonstration  over  my  other  students  and 
the  "enter  thou"  that  God  is  speaking  to  you 
With  love  thine 

Mary  B  Eddy 

My  precious  Child  ^ 

There  was  a  preceding  page,  but  of  no  special  value.  I 
am  trying  to  do  the  most  good  I  can  in  my  place  and  so 
have  to  economize  my  time,  or  I  should  write  longer  to  you 
and  see  you  oftener.  Darling,  Have  your  students  done 
as  much  for  our  cause  as  you  have  done?  Well  you  were 
my  student,  and  what  is  best  no  other  one  ever  taught  you. 

My  students  are  doing  more  for,  and  against,  C.  S. 
than  any  others  can  do.  They  are  the  greatest  sinners  on 
earth  when  they  injure  it;  and  are  doing  more  good  than 
all  others  when  they  do  the  best  they  know  how. 

Here  I  must  leave  it;  but  the  fruits  of  my  awful  experi- 
ence in  preparing  the  hearts  of  men  to  receive  Chris.  Scie. ; 
is  patience  in  tribulation,  hope,  and  faith; — before  these 
graces  of  the  Spirit  evil  must  fall  May  you,  my  faithful 
dear  one  be  strengthened  and  upHfted  by  the  errors  of 
others — by  seeing  sin  and  so  avoiding  it  in  your  own  dear 

self. 

Lovingly  Ever 

M  B  G  Eddy 

Pleasant  View, 

Concord,  N.  H.  Dec.  17,  1904. 
My  darling  Student:* 

I  have  tried  to  reply  sooner  but  could  not.    Do  not  doubt 

my  love  for  you,  my  faith  in  you,  and  my  faithful  rebuke  if 

need  be.     Above  all  dear  one,  know  that  God  knows  your 

good  works  and  will  reward  them,  that  He  loves  you  and 

'  See  pages  394-396.  »  See  pages  397-399- 


374     Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 

her  whom  He  has  called  loves  you  just  as  tenderly  in  giv- 
ing you  His  rod  as  His  staff  and  by  them  both — the  rod 
and  support — you  cannot  doubt  His  care  and  love  for  you, 
my  precious  one.  Now  be  of  good  cheer  be  not  afraid  for 
such  are  God's  proofs  to  all  his  own  that  they  are  His  and 
none  can  pluck  them  out  of  His  hand. 

Your  explanation  is  so  comforting  to  me  that  I  thank 
Him  and  you  for  it  with  tears  of  joy 


'  I  am  fixed  and  more  and  more  in  my  confidence  in  your 
strength  to  stand,  &  "having  done  all  to  stand"  If  you 
will  pardon  me  I  will  tell  you  one  of  my  pet  names  for  you 
when  speaking  of  you  to  my  household  ^^my  %var  horse'^ 

Oh  dearest,  precious  child,  how  much  you  have  done  and 
will  yet  do  for  our  cause,  none  knows  but  me 


Pleasant  View. 

Concord,  N.  H.  Oct.  13. 

My  beloved  Student " 

Your  prompt  obedience  to  me  shows  a  wisdom  that  will 
crown  your  life  with  success.  You  evidently  have  learned 
this  from  God,  universal  Truth,  versus  error. 


Pleasant  View. 

Concord.  N.  H.  Oct.  3  1904 
My  dearest  Student  3 

I  sent  to  you  a  20  dollar  gold  piece  not  as  money, 
for  that  can  neither  express  nor  pay  for  your  kind- 
ness in  helping  me  to  outside  wear  or  apparel.  It  was 
simply  saying.  "  You  keep  the  Golden  Rule  in  this  way; 
and  my  gratitude  is  golden  beyond  words. 

Darling  rise  each  hour;  now  is  the  resurrection  morn 
and  I  want  Augusta  to  be  my  Mary. 

Lovingly  ever  thine 

M  B  Eddy 
»  See  page  400.  'See  page  401.  3  See  pages  402,  403. 


Defense  of  Spiritual  Facts  375 

^  Darling,  I  did  not  see  your  pretty  present  till  my  letter 
was  written 

Thanks      More  precious  than  silver  or  gold  is  your  love. 

Accept  mine  in  big  gross  tons 

MB  E 

"^  Now  darling  I  entrust  you  with  another  momentous 
move  namely  Our  memmorial  of  Christian  Science,  that  the 
ages  will  look  upon  and  be  lifted  up. 


Whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the 
Father:  but  he  that  acknowledgeth  the  Son  hath  the  Father 
also. — I  John  ii.,  23. 

Until  the  majesty  of  Truth  should  be  demonstrated  in 
divine  Science,  the  spiritual  idea  was  arraigned  before  the 
tribunal  of  so-called  mortal  mind,  which  was  unloosed  in 
order  that  the  false  claim  of  mind  in  matter  might  uncover 
its  own  crime  of  defying  immortal  Mind. — Science  and, 
Health,  page  564. 

I  See  page  404.  *  See  page  405, 


Facsimile  Letters 


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Facsimile  excerpts  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 
See  page  366. 


378      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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380       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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382      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


Facsimile  excerpts  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 
See  page  367. 


Facsimile  Letters  383 


Facsimile  excerpt  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 
See  page  368. 


384      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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Facsimile  Letters 


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386      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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See  page  371. 


Facsimile  Letters  389 


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392       Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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Facsimile  Letters  395 


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396      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


Facsimile  Letters 


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FacsimUe  excerpts  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mr-.  Stetson 
See  page  373. 


398      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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400      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


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Facsimile  excerpt  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 
See  page  374. 


Facsimile  Letters 


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See  page  374. 


402      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


Pleasant  IDiew. 

Concord  NH.  ^!^^  S   /f/fJ^ 


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Facsimile  excerpts  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 
See  page  374. 


Facsimile  Letters 


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404      Vital  Issues  in  Christian  Science 


Facsimile  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson 
See  page  375. 


Facsimile  Letters 


405 


^s:t^<^<t^ 


Facsimile  excerpt  from  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Mrs.  Stetson. 
See  page  375. 


Jl  Selection  from  the 
Catalogue  of 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


Complete  Catalogue  sent 
on  application 


Poems 


Written  on  the  Journey  from 
Sense  to  Soul 

By 

Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 

8°.     Illustrated.     Full  gilt  edges.     Net  $2.00 

These  poems  were  dedicated  to 
Mary  Baker  Eddy  in  the  following 
words : 

As  a  student  to  the  Teacher 
As  a  follower  to  the  Leader 
As  a  child  to  the  Mother 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


Reminiscences,   Sermons,   and   Corre= 

spondence,   Proving  Adherence 

to   the   Principle   of 

Christian  Science 

As  Tan^ht  by 

Mary  Baker  Eddy 
By 

Augusta  E.  Stetson,  C.S.D. 

{Second  Editioa  Third  Thousand)  Revised  and  Enlarged 

8°.     With  9  Illustrations  in  Photogravure.    Bible  Paper.     Full 
Gilt  Edges.    Over  1200  Pages.    55.00  net.    By  mail,  $5.25 

Out  of  her  religious  activities  of  twenty-nine 
years  under  the  instruction  and  leadership  of 
Mary  Baker  Eddy,  the  Discoverer  and 
Founder  of  Christian  Science  Mind-healing, 
Mrs.  Stetson,  in  this  volume,  has  contributed 
a  book  of  rare  worth  in  the  demonstration  of 
divine  metaphysics.  There  are  set  forth  the 
author's  experiences  in  the  demonstration  of 
Truth  as  contained  in  Science  and  Health  with 
Key  to  the  Scriptures  by  Mrs.  Eddy;  also  a  valu- 
able collection  of  sermons,  addresses,  and 
letters  which  elucidate  the  Principle  of 
Christian  Science. 

New  York  G.  P.  Putnam*S  Sons    London 


Date  Due 

i 

^ 

^iAm 

•f^'-n 

m 

PRINTED 

IN  U.  S.  A. 

BP931.N53C.2 

Vital  issues  in  Christian  Science  :  a 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


